A Medley of Sorts
by orangestripes66
Summary: Spray paint. Birds. Fluff. Places. Love. Lust. Fights. Interruptions. Friends. Lovers. Others. One shots. Dive in.
1. The New Deal pt 1

_Hi! :) So, I have all these short story ideas floating around in my head. But I don't really want to make them all into longer-than-necessary stories. So, I have decided to put them all together as separate one-shots, although some might have two or three parts at the most. Basically, it's just easier to put them all together here, updated whenever I feel a surge of creativity to write one of the many one-shot ideas I have in my head. Cool? Cool. Anyway, I hope all you wonderful people enjoy :D And I appreciate any feedback given.  
Oh, and I do not own South of Nowhere. That, sadly, belongs to someone else.  
Much love._

* * *

**The New Deal (Part One)**

"The New Deal was just a way for Roosevelt to lull the people so they wouldn't worry, nothing more." Ashley Davies said in an extremely bored voice as she stood in the front of the class.

The blonde next to her gasped. "Are you kidding me? The New Deal instilled hope in the people during a time when they needed it. All the programs, they kept the country afloat." She said, in a loud voice.

"Yeah, they were nice, all a thousand of them. But they didn't _do_ anything important." Ashley replied, looking straight ahead.

Spencer Carlin glared at the girl she was debating. "That's bullshit!" She exclaimed without thinking.

"Miss Carlin! Language." Their history teacher said in a gruff voice.

"Sorry." The usually more composed Spencer murmured.

"Alright, that's enough for today. Thank you Miss Davies for your _wonderful_ interest. Miss Carlin, for your colorful language. Take a seat." He said walking back to the front of the room.

Ashley rolled her eyes and took her seat in the back.

"You infuriate me." Spencer hissed as she walked back to her own seat.

The feisty brunette snorted a little too loudly. "Yeah? Good." She spit, sufficiently ending the talking between the two girls.

Ashley spent the rest of the class zoning out. Doodling instead of taking notes. Texting. Anything to try and convince her eyes to not look at the blonde sitting in the next row. She hated that Spencer wore shorts everyday. She hated that Spencer raised her hand and answered all the questions. She hated that Spencer's voice was flowing and not monotone. But most of all, she just absolutely hated Spencer Carlin.

When the bell rang, Ashley gathered her stuff as quickly as she could and raced out of the door. On her way out, she _accidentally_ bumped the blonde, making her drop all her books.

"_Ooops_." Ashley sneered at Spencer.

Spencer narrowed her eyes as intimidatingly as she could muster, and then walked away. She had more important and better things to deal with at the moment. Like Chase. Chase was good-looking. Chase was smiling for Spencer. And Chase didn't run his mouth like an idiot like a certain annoying brunette.

Ashley walked past Spencer and her boyfriend-of-the-month, Chase Michaels. Spencer was always on to the next guy. Dating one. Dumping one. Dating another. Dumping another. Ashley didn't get how Spencer was never called a slut. Ever. Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. Ashley didn't know the personal details of Spencer's life. And she didn't care.

"Hey babe." Spencer smiled as Chase kissed her sweetly at her locker. He was a good boyfriend. He was charming. He was, Spencer thought, probably the best out of the bunch. The others were hot, they were fun, but there was always something missing. Spencer could never find that one thing that made her want to stay. She got bored. And she got bored easily. So when she did, she moved on.

Easy and clear-cut.

"Do you wanna do something after school?" Chase asked Spencer as he helped her put her books in the locker. His strong arms and hands looked good against the small books. Chase was the definition of good-looking. He had defined, strong jaw-line. Grey eyes that looked great against his black hair. And just the perfect amount of stubble.

"Definitely." Spencer said with a smile on her face. Chase wrapped his arm around her once she closed the locker. He was tall and she fit in him well.

He would do, for now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The brunette made her way across the quad, searching for her friends. She was getting bored of this whole _school _thing. Everyday was the same. Same routine. Same schedule. The only solace she got in her days was being with her friends and tormenting the blonde in half her classes.

That girl seriously thought she knew everything that has ever been ever written. And Ashley hated her for that.

Ashley saw a guy wave to her from the very edge of the quad. The guy had short almost-back hair, green eyes, and he was wearing a Cobra's jersey.

_What a tool_, Ashley thought.

"Hey Ash." Aiden said cheerily as she put her book bag down and took a seat.

"Hi Aiden. Why are you so peppy today." She asked him, taking out a marble notebook. This is wear she kept all her lyrics. All her thoughts. She might not even open it up, just having it around gave her a sense of calm.

Aiden shrugged and took a big bite of his burger. "I'm not."

"Whatever." Ashley said, closing her eyes. It was bright out. And the sun was hurting her eyes. She was pissed, because she left her sunglasses in the car. It would be easy to just go get them now. But she was way too lazy for that.

"Hey babe!" A voice said excitedly. A shadow came over Ashley, which was nice for a second, but when she realized it was Kyla and Aiden making out over her, she almost threw up.

"Ew, guys. Please." Ashley said, not daring to look any longer than a confirmation glance. "I get that you love each other and shit, but can you refrain from doing that around me?"

"Sorry Ashley." Kyla said and sat down on Aiden's lap. "Where's Caleb?"

Ashley shrugged, not looking up. Caleb was her best friend. The only person she could be around for longer than five minutes and not get annoyed at. If Ashley had to guess, she would say that Caleb was around the back of the school, probably smoking. But smoking what? She couldn't say for sure.

"Don't you two have some cheerleading-basketball parade to go to or something?" Ashley announced towards the over-eager couple. She opened her notebook to a blank page and started to draw lines. Usually, it just took a couple of minutes of pen to paper to get some thoughts or words flowing. It didn't matter that they were just lines, they would morph into words eventually.

"No, the pep rally's not until last period." Aiden informed her with an oblivious smile. "You going?"

The bitter brunette rolled her eyes in a overly dramatic way. "Do I have to?"

"Uh yeah, unless you want an absent in class." Kyla told her sister, running her fingers through her boyfriend's short hair.

Ashley never understood this action. Running your hands through a _guys_ hair was so anti-climactic. It was always short. She preferred some longer hair to bury her hands in. Something you can really grab a hold of.

"I guess I'm going then." She muttered.

_The way my fingers feel through your hair makes me feel your mind and your heart_ Ashley wrote in her notebook. She scrunched her nose up in disgust at the overly lame words and skipped to the next line.

"Good." Kyla smiled happily as Aiden kissed her cheek. "Well, I gotta go, Spencer called an lunch practice for this afternoon."

Ashley rolled her eyes. She especially hated Spencer Carlin because her sister liked her so much. Kyla said she was "nice and sweet." Ashley just thought she was "annoying and dramatic." She watched Aiden stand and give his girlfriend a hug goodbye. "Have fun!" Ashley called after her sister in a mockingly excited tone.

"What's up girls." Ashley heard a voice say to her as the body it belonged to sat down next to her on the bench. Aiden rolled his eyes at the brunette's douchebag of a friend, Caleb. Caleb's studded belt scratched Ashley's side as he sat down and she scowled at him. She immediately smelt the weed that radiated off of her friend's body. In the sun, his hair was more red than usual.

"You reek man." Ashley spat, closing her notebook to turn to Caleb.

Caleb was her best friend. Her confidante. He was the first and one of the few people she had come out to a year ago, and despite his religious family, the red haired boy was rebellious by nature. His remark to Ashley's sexual orientation was as follows: "Nice! Now we can score girls together. I think my cousin might be gay, I'll set you two ladies up." Caleb was a ladies man by all the standard definitions of the word.

"Chill out Ash, who's got your panties in a twist today?" Caleb remarked, taking a bite of a strange looking sandwhich.

Aiden, still sitting quietly next to the friends chuckled lightly. Caleb threw him a smirk. "Hey buddy, be happy I didn't ask _you_ that question."

Aiden tried to roll his eyes again, but he just looked stupid.

"No one." The small brunette girl told Caleb, giving him a hard punch to his shoulder. "You're coming to the pep rally with me."

Caleb put his thumb and pointer finger up to his face and scratched the small goatee that rested there. "Uh, no."

"You _have_ to Caleb!" Ashley yelled louder than necessary. "I'm not going alone, and you're high so it'll be funny."

Caleb looked into the eyes of his best friend. Sometimes, he wished she were straight, because she was all kinds of hot. But it would never work anyway, they knew too much details about each others intimate lives to be together. Brother and sister was more like it. With a grunt, Caleb weakened to Ashley's insistent ways.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spencer sighed to herself as she sat on the bleachers, watching her squad practice their routine for the pep rally that was about to take place in approximately twenty minutes. The blonde liked cheerleading, she did. She just didn't like the high school politics that were dragged along with it. The only reason she even accepted to be captain was because it would look good on her transcript and give her more extracurricular activities for college admissions. But then again, who the hell would care if she was the leader of a bunch of bitchy girls when she was a teenager?

"How was that, Spencer?" The brunette Kyla Davies asked her as the routine ended.

Spencer, having not been paying attention at all, just nodded her head and clapped her hands together. "That was great. Run through on more time."

Spencer liked Kyla. She was a nice girl and probably the only one on the whole squad who never gave her problems, bitchy complaints, or gossiped about her. Besides the fact that she had a sister who annoyed the blonde to no end, Spencer didn't mind Kyla. She always wondered how two sisters could be so different.

The hard thing about this loathing thing was that the Davies sisters were good-looking girls. There was no denying that. Spencer hated Ashley Davies like a Mormon hated a monogamous relationship, but she was mature enough to admit that the annoying brunette sister was gorgeous. So much so, in fact, that the only way to take her mind of it was to torture the brunette in class. Their hatred was mutual, Spencer was sure of this.

Students started to trickle into the auditorium just as the squad was going into the locker rooms to get ready. From the corner of her eye, Spencer noticed Ashley walk inside with her pot-friend Caleb O'Reilly. The blonde rolled her eyes, oblivious to the fact that the brunette and red-head had glanced in her direction as well.

Minutes went by and she could hear Chase talking into the microphone in the gym, making jokes and working the crowd of students. He was well-liked by the student population, except for the handful of guys that been with Spencer before him. When Spencer heard music start to pour out of the speakers, she put on a happy face and ran out of the locker room, leading her squad to the middle of the gym floor. An eye roll was effectively stifled as Chase gave his blonde beauty a kiss on the cheek for luck. At this, an eye roll in the bleachers from a certain brunette was effectively _not_ stifled.

Ashley squirmed in the hard metal of the bleachers. She was pretty sure her ass was already falling asleep. And speaking of falling asleep, she saw that Caleb was in the same condition as her ass right next to her. She jabbed him in the ribs.

It was all Ashley could do from distracting herself from the girls in short skirts in front of her. She hated cheerleaders, but she was mature enough to admit how hot and sexy they could be. Her obsession started shortly after she had had a dream where a certain cheerleader gave her a lap dance in her uniform. Ashley enjoyed that dream and had been willing to come back to months.

The brunette watched as Spencer Carlin led her girls along to some popular song in the middle of the floor. Although she hated her, brown eyes would not stop watching her. Entranced, Ashley almost didn't even feel the nudge given to her by Caleb.

"You know." Caleb started to say, trying to gain Ashley's attention. "They say when someone really hates someone, they actually really like them. Like, kids on a playground."

Ashley snapped her head to give her best friend a glare. "Or, they actually just hate them."

Caleb shrugged, enjoying how funny the dancing girls looked in front of him thanks to Miss Mary J. "Just fuck her and get it over with."

Ashley gasped. "What? She's straight, and plus, like I would _want_ to."

"Come on Ash. She's got that whole 'I go out with a million guys and am a cheerleader but am secretly gay and no one knows' thing going on. Plus she's hot." Caleb said rather seriously.

"You're so full of crap." Ashley mumbled, keeping her eyes trained on said blonde. It's not like she was doing anything wrong. The point of a pep rally was to watch, right? She was just enjoying some Cougar pride. Or was it Cobras? She couldn't be sure.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Alright students, listen up. We're going to be doing a project as a midterm for class. It'll count for a large amount of your grade." The whole class groaned in unison as their history teacher blabbered on about something they would probably do the night before. "We're doing it in partners. I will read them off to you all."

Friends gave each other nervous glances. Enemies scowled at each other. Ex-girlfriends and ex-boyfriends had anxious looks on their faces. Ashley Davies rolled her eyes and Spencer Carlin yawned.

"Ryan and Patrick."

Ryan, a blonde-haired boy high-fived his friend Patrick who had messy brown hair.

"Madison and Sheryll."

Madison Duarte flipped her long hair over her shoulders and gave shy Sheryll a nasty glare. Not that Madison was mad, she was sure she could coerce Sheryll into doing all of the work.

"Charlie and Samantha."

Samantha, who had curly, dirty blonde hair, gave her best friend across the room a very nervous look and a frown appeared on her face. She looked like she might burst into tears at any second. Charlie, on the other hand, didn't look like he cared at all.

"Meg and Katie."

The two best friends beamed at each from across the aisle separating them. Meg was just happy Katie would be spending the time with her and not with her boyfriend, who she despised. For more reasons other than that he was just crappy in general. Katie was oblivious to the way Meg was looking at her.

"Ashley and Spencer."

Ashley catapulted out of her desk at the pairing of names.

"What?" She asked in a higher voice than usual.

The teacher rolled his eyes. "Miss Davies, please sit down."

Spencer opened her mouth, trying her best to get out of the situation. "Don't you think it would be best if we worked with people we _got along with_?"

"I drew the names out of a hat." Their teacher told them. "But maybe you and Miss Davies can work together and stop interrupting my class every day."

Ashley say back down with a frown etched into her forehead and adorning her lips. She looked to her side and saw Spencer glaring at her. The brunette gave the blonde the middle finger and the blonde just looked away, sighing to herself. She was not pleased nor amused.

Spencer Carlin stopped at the desk of Ashley Davies as students flowed out of the classroom after the bell had rung. She noticed Ashley didn't even have any books with her, just a tattered old notebook.

"So I guess we should meet to work on this?" Spencer asked her partner in a rough tone.

"Uh, obviously. We can go my house."

"Why your house?" Spencer asked meanly as Ashley got up, putting her headphones in her ears.

"Because I said so." The brunette responded, starting to walk out of the classroom.

Spencer narrowed her eyes, so not in the mood for this bitchiness. "Fine."

"Good." Ashley spat as she walked into the crowd of students that were moving down the hallway like salmon.

Spencer rubbed her temples and walked to her locker. Trying to go as fast as she could. She wasn't in the mood for Chase's cheeriness right now. And she wasn't in the mood for any more of Ashley's bitchiness, either.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	2. The New Deal pt 2

**  
The New Deal (Part Two)**

The first thing Ashley noticed about Spencer when she opened her front door to let the blonde girl in, was her glasses. Spencer never wore glasses in class or in school. The next thing she noticed was the girls loose ponytail, revealing slightly damp hair. Either it was her mind playing tricks on her, or she could actually smell the shampoo from the few feet away where she was. It smelled…nice. After that, the brunette noticed that the annoying cheerleader was devoid of make up. And what she hated about that was that Spencer looked even prettier without it.

"Uh, hi." Ashley stated, opening the door for Spencer to come in. She was momentarily dazed by that smell and she berated herself for it.

Spencer rolled her eyes as she walked past Ashley. For the first time ever, Spencer realized that she was actually slightly taller than the Davies girl. Funny, she had always thought Ashley was taller.

"So are we just gunna stand here, or what?" Spencer stated impatiently, tapping her hands on the cover of her tattered history book.

"Oh." Ashley said, closing the door. "No, we can go upstairs."

The two girls walked up the stairs one after the other. There was no doubt about it, this was awkward. The pair never actually talked to each other or spent time with each other if they weren't in class making each other miserable or fighting. But it wasn't like either of them actually got hurt, they both secretly enjoyed the mean banter they shared in school. Ashley liked it because Caleb was too high half the time to carry on a conversation and Spencer liked it because her friends usually only talked about shopping and boys. Spencer only liked those two things to an extent.

But this was different. They were in a house. They were in Ashley's _bedroom_. Immediately, Spencer took in the large room, big bed, posters on the wall, and black stereo on the corner. She liked it. Her room still had unicorn wallpaper that her mother refused to take down.

"So, let's start this bitch." Ashley interrupted the weird silence as she brought her lap top over to her bed. Spencer shook her head, berating herself for thinking Ashley was alright for a short second.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Powerpoint." Spencer said forcefully.

Ashley groaned, dramatically falling back onto the sheets of the bed they were sitting on. "No. Everyone does that."

"Powerpoint! It's the most practical way." Spencer said loudly, pulling her hair in frustration.

An hour and a half in and she was ready to punch the lights out the Davies girl. They had gotten some work done but the arguing usually interrupted it from going any further.

"Can't we think of something more creative?" Ashley suggested, sitting back up crossed legged across from the blonde girl. It was obvious Spencer was frustrated. Ashley thought it was cute. She had stopped telling herself not to think about the girl like that thirty minutes ago when Spencer had actually snorted because Ashley pronounced _laissez faire_ wrong.

"What, like a game of strip history poker?" Spencer joked, wishing seconds later she hadn't said that.

Ashley chuckled. "Yeah right, like you'd play that."

Spencer smirked. "You'd be surprised Davies."

The brunette's deep brown eyes met the blonde's almost crystal blue ones. "Oh, you mean you've played strip _cheerleading_, right? Give me and L! Give me an A! Give me an M! Give me an E! What's that spell? LAME." Ashley moved her hands around trying and failing to contort her arms into the shapes of the letters she was spelling out.

Spencer genuinely laughed at the other girls antics. She held her stomach and doubled over as the brunette joined her. "You're like the worst cheerleader ever." Spencer laughed out.

Ashley smirked at the blonde. "You would know."

Their eyes held each others for a moment. Spencer's eyes widened subtely. Were they flirting? Was she flirting with Ashley Davies, the most annoying girl in the school? Was Ashley flirting back?

The very second that Ashley made a slip up and let her eyes glance down to Spencer's lips, the door to her bedroom burst open. Even though it was not necessary, Ashley pushed herself back and further away from the blonde than she already was.

"Oh, hi Spencer." Kyla said cheerily, as Aiden followed her inside.

Both Spencer and Ashley simultaneously took in the couple's appearance. They were both dressed fully in black. Both with black beanies on their heads. Aiden had black marks under his eyes like a football player and Kyla was holding a flashlight.

"Uh, what the hell are you two doing?" Ashley asked them after she took in Aiden's spray paint.

Kyla smiled like she wasn't dressed to go rob a bank. "We're going to Madison's house." She simply stated.

The girls on the bed were still confused, both silently thinking _why?_

"Apparently," Aiden started, filling them in, "she was really mean to that girl Sheryll after school. She yelled at her in front of almost everyone. Ryan told me Sheryll was crying."

"Yeah." Kyla piped up. "And Sheryll is really nice, you know. She helped me with biology. So, we're gunna go play some harmless jokes on Madison."

Ashley cracked a devilish smile. She thought that was awesome.

Spencer's eyes glanced to the spray paint. "But, you might get in trouble."

Ashley scoffed at her history partner. What a party pooper.

Aiden shrugged as Kyla spoke. "You guys wanna come? You know you want to." She sang out the last sentence in a high voice.

Spencer and Ashley looked at each other. Spencer's face looked nervous and Ashley was smiling. "Definitely." The brunette finally said, jumping off the bed and heading to the closet.

Spencer got off the bed too but crossed her arms over her chest. "But we have work to do!"

"Carlin, we're just arguing and not getting anywhere. This is more fun." Ashley yelled from her closet as she came out with a pile of clothes. She threw a black sweatshirt at Spencer and pulled one over her own head. Spencer was already wearing black sweatpants, so she was good.

"I guess." Spencer mumbled, pulling the article of clothing thrown at her over her head. Her senses filled with a scent of vanilla and cinnamon, one she had learned about fifteen minutes into their project belonged to the Davies girl. She liked cinnamon.

"We'll be downstairs." Kyla told them with a grin as they left the girls to change into all black for their mission.

Forgetting for a moment that Spencer was in the room, Ashley, too hyped up on this dangerous adventure, shed her pants and started to pull on black jeans. The blonde mistakenly glanced at her just as the jeans slid up her lithe frame, fitting perfectly to her body. She felt her face blush as she took in the brunette's toned and tan legs. This went unnoticed by Ashley.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This is creepy." Spencer Carlin whined from behind the bush where her, Ashley, Kyla, and Aiden were crouching. She would never admit it, but she was having more fun with these three than she had ever had with her other friends.

"Stop bitching Spencer." Ashley whispered as they watched Madison leave her house with some guy. Spencer gave Ashley a hit to the arm that actually kind of hurt the smaller girl. This cheerleader was strong.

As the car pulled away, the group James Bond-ed their way to the back door.

"Isn't this like, breaking and entering?" Ashley asked after a moments hesitation. Spencer smirked, she knew the Davies girl wasn't as badass as everyone thought.

Kyla, giving Aiden a quick look, scrunched her eyebrows together. "Uh, kind of. But we'll be fast so, you know, it'll be like only half breaking and entering."

Spencer let out an unconscious giggle. "That doesn't make sense, Ky. Plus, Madison gave me a key to her back door, so.." Her boyfriend told them gently as he opened the back door, letting the three girl slip inside before him.

The group dispersed, Aiden and Kyla wouldn't tell them what they were doing with the spray paint, but one could only imagine. Spencer and Ashley unconsciously stuck together not wanting to be along in this creepy house. Every single time Ashley's hand accidentally brushed up against the blonde, she felt herself get warm and tingly in that area that touched. In the dark, Spencer couldn't see her blush. Spencer resisted the urge to hold on to the other girls hand tightly in the dark, some-what foreboding, house.

After giggling quietly as they put whip cream on the kitchen counter, the girls made their way through the living room. The second Spencer saw movement underneath the couch, her heart pounded out of her chest and she lurched into Ashley's arms. With her hands around the other girls neck and her face buried in soft brown curls, Spencer breathed hard.

"What the fuck was that?" She mumbled.

Ashley, whole body tingling in some strange way, held the blonde more tightly to her as she waited for whatever had scared Spencer to come out. A sigh escaped he mouth when she forgot she hated Spencer for a second and rubbed her back soothingly.

"It's a cat." Ashley laughed.

Spencer, embarrassed for more reasons than one, pried herself quickly out of Ashley's arms. "Oh." She said lamely.

The pair didn't speak for a couple of minutes after the cat incident. Hearing Kyla's and Aiden's voices coming from upstairs, they decided to go check up on them. Ashley, now kind of freaked out in the dark house, wanted to leave. Spencer, kind of freaked out how her body was reacting to the other girl, wanted to leave. The same time the brunette and the blonde were walking past the bathroom door, the house phone let out a horrible screaming noise and Ashley, who didn't know why she did it, pushed Spencer through the door and closed it behind them.

The room was dark and unbeknownst to the girls inside, the light switch was on the outside. Ashley, still not realizing that her and Spencer were basically standing face to face in front of each other, only could focus on the near heart attack she just suffered because of the phone. She tried to catch her breathe and only then did she open her eyes. Spencer was _right there_.

"Sorry." Ashley mumbled, still looking right at Spencer. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness that emcompassed them, she made out the way the blonde's eyes were half lidded. Ashley wasn't sure if that meant what she thought it did.

"It's okay." Spencer whispered.

With eyes still locked on Spencer's, Ashley's hand darted out to grab the door handle. She wiggled it a bit and dropped her hand. "Uh." She let out. "I think we're locked in."

Spencer suddenly snapped out of her daze. "What?!" She screeched too loudly. She tried to open the door. "How the hell did you do that?!"

Ashley shrugged. "I don't know."

"Ashley open the door. Now." Spencer demanded.

Ashley narrowed her eyes at the blonde, remembering she hated her because she was so fucking demanding. "I _can't_."

"This is all your fault!" Spencer exclaimed, throwing her hands up.

Ashley groaned in annoyance. "Shut up."

Spencer clenched her fists to her side and walked right into Ashley's face. "What?"

"I said. Shut. Up." Ashley repeated.

"You infuriate me." Spencer whispered harshly into the brunette's face.

Ashley felt her face get hot with anger, annoyance, and something else she was feeling towards the gorgeous but overly dramatic blonde.

"Yeah? Well you're annoying as shit." Ashley said roughly to Spencer.

Ashley didn't like that still, in the dark, and still in anger, she could see how clear and pretty Spencer's eyes were. She was supposed to be mad.

Spencer took one small step closer towards Ashley, their noses almost touching. She wasn't sure what she was doing, but the small room and being this close to Ashley made her want to touch her. To feel her. She wasn't sure why.

"I hate you." Spencer mumbled onto Ashley's lips right before the brunette put them both out of their misery and made soft contact.

The kiss was so surprising that both of the girls almost gasped into each others mouth. But then they felt the others warm lips on their own. Spencer felt Ashley's hands thread through her long hair pulling her face closer and Ashley felt Spencer's hands come to grip her hips. Their mouths opened at the same time and it is very possible that both of them moaned when soft, wet tongues met for the first time ever.

Taking a short breath, Ashley said four words into Spencer's mouth before she felt herself pushed against the sink. "I hate you too."

Ashley was pretty sure the blonde growled after she said that. With Ashley's body propped up against the sink, Spencer's mouth found the hot flesh of her neck. The second Spencer's lips met her pulse point, Ashley groaned and tangled her hands further into the soft hair. A soft whimper resonated throughout the bathroom when Ashley's earlobe was taken into the other girls mouth. And with the flick of a tongue, their lips found each other's again.

Out of breathe, nervous, and bit squirmy, the two girls finally pulled away from each other.

Ashley sighed as she opened her eyes, instantly missing the warm contact and feeling the blonde gave her. "Can you just, not freak out please." She pleaded quietly.

Spencer could still taste Ashley on her lips, in her mouth. She knew she liked cinnamon. "I'm not freaking out." Spencer said evenly.

Ashley eyed her. "Uh, you're not?"

Spencer looked around the bathroom for a second. Why wasn't she freaking out? She wasn't. She knew what freaking out felt like and this wasn't it. This was more of a, good feeling. "I don't think so, no. Um, are you?" She asked Ashley hesitantly.

Ashley actually snorted. "No."

With a nod of the head, Spencer took a breath slowly. "Well that's good."

Ashley looked at the other girl. "You're really hot." She said before she could stop herself. Ashley was sure her cheeks were glowing with a bright red blush.

"I, you think I'm hot?" Spencer asked nervously, a small smile on her face.

Ashley rolled her eyes. "You're so annoying."

Spencer smirked, pulled the brunette towards her by the belt loops, and connected their lips once again. This time, it was more gentle and sweet. Until they were both consumed with some kind of crazy passion and it got inevitably heated.

"What the hell are you two doing?!" Kyla's exclaimed voice rushed through the door that the pair had failed to notice opened.

Spencer and Ashley pulled apart, breathing heavily. They looked at each other, to Kyla and Aiden, and back to each other. They grinned shyly at each other.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Spencer leaned against the lockers, her eyes trained on the girl next to her. A smile had appeared on her lips about three minutes ago, but she didn't notice. "But Ash, I don't _wanna_ sing a song."

Ashley and Spencer were, yet again, doing another project together. Ashley had successfully persuaded Spencer out of a Powerpoint and into some kind of history song. Of course, the only way the brunette had gotten the blonde to agree was after some sweet talking, seductive touching, and wet kisses.

Ashley, actually getting books from her locker for once, rolled her eyes at the blonde.

"You're so annoying." She mumbled to Spencer's cheek right before she gave it a soft kiss. "So, about your old cheerleading uniform..."

* * *

_**El Fin. **_


	3. Through My Eyes

**Through My Eyes**

Do you ever get that pang of jealousy when you see a cute couple together? It's a natural, human instinct that I think all human beings feel from time to time. Some more than others. But it's always there. Especially when a couple is constantly staring you right in the face. Metaphorically, I mean. Not literally, that would be kind of strange.

Now, I'm not gay. I'm about as straight as an arrow. But it just so happens that it is a couple of girls who have been recently giving me those pangs. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for Ashley and Spencer. I'm happy that Ashley finally got her priorities straightened out and realized that she _needs_ Spencer. It's obvious. It always has been.

I'm also happy Spencer gave Ashley another chance. After that whole prom thing, I don't think anyone knew exactly what to do with themselves. And as much as Ashley needs Spencer, I know Spencer needs my sister as well.

Ashley has been nicer than normal to me since Spencer dropped her trench coat in the doorway of our loft. I didn't ask for details after that. I would never admit this to her, but I do love her. It's a wonderful thing having a sister. Even a slightly self-involved, partially insane one like Ashley Davies.

"Hey Ky." Ashley says to me as she walks in through the door, hand in hand with Spencer. Here it goes again.

Spencer gives me a smile. "What are you up to?"

I give them both a smile in return and continue to flip through a magazine at the kitchen table. "Nothing really, just relaxing." I tell them.

"Sounds awesome." Ashley deadpans. Spencer gives her a look as if to say _play nice_. And I appreciate it. Spencer can be related to a lion tamer in regards to my sister.

I continue to read an article about some Hollywood bimbo getting drunk and photographed stealing from a convenient store when I hear giggling come from the sink. My eyes take in Spencer push a strand of Ashley's hair behind her ear. Ashley, in response, gives her a sweet kiss to the cheek.

I smile warmly in their direction despite the small sadness I feel. They're so right and good for each other. Sometimes I wish I had someone like that. Although I do know it is rare to find it so young. Those two are lucky and I hope they can hold on to each other.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some girl in the movie we are watching screams and Spencer buries her head in Ashley's chest. I pull the blanket protecting me up further, shielding my eyes from any blood that may come up.

"Don't be such a baby." I hear Ashley say with a chuckle to her girlfriend.

"I'm not." Spencer's voice is muffled in Ashley's shirt.

I laugh at her as does Ashley. "Don't laugh at me Kyla." Spencer says to my direction in a playful tone.

"Hey!" I exclaim, pointing a finger to Ashley. "Tell that to your girlfriend too."

"Yeah." Spencer smiles, her eyes trained on Ashley's. "But she can make it up to me later." Spencer says in a low, slightly seductive manner.

Ashley tilts Spencer's chin up with a finger and gives her a longer-than-necessary kiss. I roll my eyes.

When Ashley and Spencer announce that they're going to bed, I tell them goodnight and watch as Spencer runs into Ashley's room when her butt is slapped by my sister. It is things like that that I don't really need to experience. Actually, it is things like those that happen in Ashley's room that I don't need to see. I have had the unfortunate experience to have walked in on them multiple times. I _always_ seem to walk in there at the wrong time. I feel like a constant interruption. But I'm not a psychic so I don't know when it's safe.

Maybe I should learn to knock.

I stay curled up on the couch. My phone starts to buzz and I take it from the coffee table, flipping it open.

"Hey Aiden." I say with a smile on my face.

"Hey Ky, what's up?" His gruff voice asks me.

I sigh internally. "Nothing really. Me, Spencer, and Ash were watching a movie but they just went to bed."

Aiden chuckles. "Interesting."

"Clear your mind, perv." I laugh through the phone.

Aiden is a good friend. Actually, that statement is false. Aiden was a really shitty friend to Spencer, Ashley, and me. The anger I felt towards him when he messed up Spencer and Ashley's relationship took a while to go away. As did the anger I personally felt towards him for leaving me for my sister. It was a sucky feeling.

But now that things are better and that Aiden is not such a douchebag, I feel okay. My moment of feelings for the handsome boy were only then and I don't think they'll be coming back. We work better as friends, and I like it that way. He just doesn't give me that feeling that I feel like I'm supposed to have. Maybe he might have gotten close before, but it passed.

That's the thing I find so amazing about Ashley and Spencer. Their feelings for each other, that feeling of rightness I know they both feel, never passes, it's a constant. Part of me wishes I could just be there with Aiden, but things like those can't be forced. They're not meant to.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Good morning sunshine." I say to Ashley as she walks into the kitchen in the morning. Her eyes are still half-closed and she's walking weirdly. I try to pretend I don't know why.

"Coffee." She mumbles and I point to the pot on the counter. "Thanks."

"Yup." I take a sip of my tea and feel some it burn my throat and tongue. Too hot. "What are you doing today?"

Ashley shrugs as she comes to sit next to me. "Probably nothing." But there is a smile on her face and I know she'll be spending her day with Spencer. "What about you?"

"I think I'll go down to the shelter and give out some food, help where needed." I say absentmindedly.

"Saving the world one homeless person at a time, are we?" Ashley says with a smirk on her face. I roll my eyes at her but let out a chuckle anyway.

"That's nice Ash." I turn to see Spencer walk out of Ashley's room with sweatpants and one of Ashley's band t-shirts on. She looks more awake than her girlfriend.

"Aw sweetie, you know I'm all for world peace and that kind of stuff." Ashley gives Spencer a toothy grin. Spencer just shakes her head and takes a seat in my sister's lap. Ashley rests her head on Spencer's shoulder and I feel that familiar pang.

"I think what you're doing is awesome." Spencer tells me with a smile, her hand intertwined with Ashley's.

"Thanks." I smile genuinely at her.

Sometimes, Spencer is so nice it's ridiculous. But I get why Ashley loves her so much. She keeps her grounded and as sane as one Ashley Davies can be. I also think it's funny how Spencer is the only one who can get her to shut up.

After the day at the shelter, I slowly walk back to the loft. My feet are killing me from standing all day and a bath sounds wonderful right about now. As I walk through town, I see a guy and girl huddled together on one of the benches, despite the heat. He whispers something in her ear and she laughs with a large grin on her face.

I sigh and walk past them.

As soon as I open the door to the loft, I get that feeling in me. That one that says not to go in. But, like always, it comes two seconds too late and my vision goes to the couch. The couch where Ashley is on top of Spencer in a very heated position. Ashley yells out some obscenities and falls to the ground, leaving Spencer breathing heavily on the couch. I thank God that they're both fully clothed.

"Kyla!" Ashley screeches, getting to her feet.

"What?!" I yell back, slamming the door. "I live here too and I shouldn't be afraid to open my own door!" My outburst even surprises myself. I see the shock on Spencer's face as well.

"I'm sorry Kyla. Seriously sorry." Spencer says to me apologetically.

I run a hand through my hair. "It's okay. Look, just, if you know I'm coming back then just don't, do whatever you're doing in the middle of the living room."

"She started it." Ashley says, pointing to her girlfriend. I roll my eyes, knowing that is complete and utter bullshit.

"Ashley!" Spencer yells, throwing a pillow at her laughing body. "I'm sorry again Kyla."

"Don't worry about it. You know I love you two, just, not that much." I joke, heading towards the kitchen.

I unpack some of the groceries I bought and put some dishes in the dishwasher. I hear from the doorway Ashley saying goodbye to Spencer. There are "I love you's" exchanged in not so low voices.

"Sorry Ky." Ashley says sincerely to me when Spencer is gone.

I head to my room. "It's okay." I tell my sister with a smile.

And I am okay. Because I am confident that one day I will be the one interrupted for a change._  
_

* * *

_**El Fin. **_


	4. Questions, Questions

**Questions, Questions**

I feel incredibly intense as I walk across the soft, leprechaun colored grass. I feel…I feel like what good feels like.

I walk through the overly joyous park in the intense mellowing of the lowering sunlight. I like it here. I like it here…right now. The sky is kind of pink. A pink _hue_, I would say would describe it well. It's impossibly gorgeous, just like the girl I am going to see. To…ask?

I am heading towards the small boutique where my girlfriend works. My girlfriend. I am a girl with a girlfriend. I used to be a girl with a boyfriend. I used to be a girl who had sex with boys I didn't care about. Didn't love. Didn't feel. I am now a girl with a girlfriend that I hate not seeing for more than ten minutes. Five minutes. One minute.

I finally exit the park and step onto the sidewalk. I can still feel the heat radiating up from it after the midday and late sun had been hitting off it. My sandals immediately get a significant amount of degrees hotter. The actual number is not one I care to remember. Care to care about. Other numbers are more important.

Four years I have known her. Three years I have been with her. Infinity I will love her. I, Ashley Davies, no longer want someone unimportant to waste the days away with. But days wasted with Spencer Carlin are not at all wasted. Five months I have been thinking about this. Four months I had been searching. Three months I had been patiently waiting. And it took all of one day, twenty-four hours for me to decide I can no longer wait.

I feel myself retreat back to high school days where I was forced to make a presentation in front of the class. In reality, in technical terms, I kind of am making a presentation of sorts. But it is only for a single member audience. I have never been more nervous for a presentation in my entire life.

When I get outside the small little store, I just stand quietly for a few minutes. I tap my fingers against the bare skin of my thighs and play with the frays at the ends of my jean shorts. I even hum a little tune outside the door. A man passes and gives me a strange look. I can physically feel the small metal band burning into my ass in my back pocket. Small and perfect. Gorgeous and wonderfully delicate. Like Spencer.

When I do open the door, the little bell above it chimes. I smile at the cute little noise and full on grin when I see blonde hair, back-turned, at the register. As soon as the chime goes off, she turns around and the bored expression morphs to one of excitement. I take notice that no one else is in the shop as I walk towards her.

"Hi there." Spencer says to me, putting her elbows on the counter and resting her face in the palm of her hands. She looks so much younger in this pose than she actually is. "What brings you here?"

I bend over the counter slightly to kiss her lips in a soft, mushy way. They feel like what I've needed all day. And in that one, small second, my faith is revived. Her lips persuade me to do what I have been wanting to do for a while.

"You." I tell her simply.

Spencer smirks at me. "You're so cute."

"I'm so glad you think that." I answer with a chuckle. "How's work?"

"Boring." She says right away. "Until you came of course." She leans over for another kiss and I grant it to her.

I let my fingers trail down the length of her soft arms. Spencer pokes my nose. "Let's play a game."

Spencer's eyes twinkle as they look into my brown ones. "Ash, last time we _played a game_, I almost got fired." She reminds me matter-of-factly.

"Not that kind of game you doof. Although we can save that one for later." I give her a wink and Spencer rolls her eyes. "Let's play…oh, 20 questions."

"You're so random." Spencer chuckles, taking her hand in mine and playing with the fingers. I let my other hand fall to the side of my body.

"What's my favorite color?"

"Lime green." Spencer says immediately. "What color are the underwear I'm wearing right now?" She asks with a sly smile.

"Trick question, you're wearing none." I say with a cracked voice. "Who do I love?"

"Spencer Carlin." She lets her own name roll off her tongue with a cheeky grin. "Who's the only person that can turn Ashley Davies into a ball of mush?"

I roll my eyes and mutter her name. "Spencer Carlin." I meet her eyes. "Will you marry me?"

Spencer opens her mouth but then it closes. My heart beat must be at a dangerous height. In silence, I take the ring out of my back pocket and place it on the counter, gently pushing it towards her with one finger. Spencer looks at it and back to me. A very large smile spreads across her face. She kisses me harder than before. "Perfect question." She whispers to my lips.  
"Yes I will."

* * *

_**El Fin**_


	5. Blue

**Blue**

Ashley Davies laid awake in her bed. Her eyes hadn't shut all night except for the many short blinks of her eyelids. She wasn't even sure why she attempted to sleep anymore. She hadn't been able to get more than four hours of a sleep a night for the past two months. And when she did sleep, she just had nightmares.

The nightmares weren't terrificly horrifying. There was no blood, or ghosts, or screaming bodies, or haunted houses. They were of the past. And that alone made them nightmares.

With a large amount of effort, the brunette rolled out of her bed and headed towards the kitchen of her large loft.

"Hi Ash." Her half-sister, Kyla Woods said in her direction.

Kyla Woods had been in a tough spot. She tried to make her usually animated half-sister feel better. But Ashley hadn't been like that for a while.

Ashley just nodded in Kyla's direction without so much as a smile. She didn't think her mouth knew what a smile was anymore.

"How are you this morning?" Kyla asked gently. She didn't want to prod. But she didn't want to disregard the other brunette.

Ashley just shrugged. "The same." She answered in a monotone voice.

Kyla watched her half-sister pad around the kitchen with soft, brown eyes. Ones similar to the ones Ashley used to have. Now, Ashley's eyes were just dead. There was no longer that sparkle or sly smile in them. Kyla sighed and continued to eat her oatmeal. She was supposed to meet Aiden soon for brunch, but she was too hungry to wait.

Ashley took a seat across from Kyla at the table. "You want me to make you something?" Kyla asked.

Ashley shook her head. "No thanks."

The half-sister waited a beat before speaking again. "Ash, you should-"

"Don't." Ashley replied immediately. There was a flair of anger in her voice. It was the only time Kyla heard emotion from the older girl. Whenever she would attempt to ask the question Ashley hated. Although Kyla felt bad, she was happy to at least hear _something_ in the girls voice. Something that told her she wasn't totally devoid inside.

But Kyla decided to persist this time. "Ashley you should go see her."

"No Kyla." Ashley said again, losing the anger.

The younger brunette knew her sister would get mad at her if she continued to push. But Kyla didn't care. She had to try. "Please? You really need to. It's been- two months."

Ashley's eyes snapped to Kyla's. There was a mixture of anger and sadness in them. "I don't care."

"You need to try to at least start to get ov-" Kyla started to say but Ashley finally found her loud voice.

"No!" Ashley roared. Kyla winced. "No, I'm not getting over anything. You know what." Ashley said, getting up from the table. "Fuck you Kyla. You have no idea, fuck you. Until this happens to you, don't say a fucking word to me."

Kyla's eyes went down to the almost empty bowl of oatmeal. "I'm sorry I just want you to be okay."

Ashley pushed the chair back violently as she left the table. "I'm getting her back." She said delusionally.

Kyla sighed. "You know you can't, Ash." Her heart broke at her half-sister's state of mania.

Ashley didn't say another word to Kyla the rest of the day. And when Kyla left to go meet Aiden, Ashley became enraged. It wasn't fair that she was just going on normally when Ashley was stuck here with nothing. The older brunette waited about a half an hour after Kyla left, and then she left too.

She wasn't going to do this for Kyla. She wasn't going to do this even for herself. She wasn't going to do this for anyone.

She was doing this for Spencer, and Spencer only.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was slightly chilly and grey out as Ashley took a breath and opened the gates. A smirk appeared on her face, for the first time in two months, at the weather. _How fitting, _she thought.

Her shoes made squishy sounds in the wet grass as she walked to her destination. Slowly. Very slowly. She wasn't sure why she picked today to come. It just happened like that. Perhaps two months of no sleep will do that to a person. Ashley squinted her eyes, so they were barely open. There was no sun, she just didn't want to see anything else around.

When Ashley finally got to her destination, she just stood. The last time she was here there was fresh dirt where grass now was. Two months ago. She instantly felt guilty for waiting so long to come. She was a horrible person.

With a slight step forward, Ashley extended one, small finger to trace the name on the very cold stone.

_Spencer Carlin_

The grave stone was very pretty. Ashley believed this ironic. What is so fucking pretty about death?

Out of nowhere, one sob made it's way from her chest and out of her frowning mouth. Then another, and another, and before long Ashley was crying so hard she couldn't even breathe. It was the silent kind of crying. The one where no sound comes out because the tears and heaves came faster than the noise. The noise never catches up.

Ashley crouched down in a catcher's position next where the love of her life would forever be. In the ground and not with her. She placed her cheek to the chilly stone. It felt almost nice on her hot, tear stained cheek.

When she regained her breathing, after minutes, maybe hours even, she spoke. "Hi baby. I'm so sorry it took me so long." Ashley hiccupped and felt a fresh batch of tears in her sore eyes. You know when people sometimes say that they're all cried out? Well, Ashley knew they were full of shit. She thought she would probably never be all cried out. "I miss you so much Spencer. I- I can barely live without you."

"Aiden tried to comfort me, but I told him to fuck off. I bet you enjoyed that." Ashley's mouth made a strange form. A smile. Ashley's mind was only thinking one thing over and over. _Please come back. Please come back._ She waited for maybe a ghost to appear and give her some solace. Like in movies. And in stories. But one never came.

Ashley's full hand placed itself over the engraving that she specifically picked out.

_Forever Loved_ it said. Every single word of the statement was entirely true.

"I love you." The broken brunette whispered gently. And with a kiss to the name she would never forget, she left. Ashley wasn't entirely sure that she could ever come back here.

When Ashley got back to the loft, her whole body was sore from shaking and crying. She was relieved that Kyla was still not home. She would never be able to do it if her half-sister were home. She loved Kyla. She did. But she loved Spencer more.

The bottom cabinet door under the sink in the bathroom creaked as Ashley opened it. She gingerly closed the door and took out what she needed.

It didn't take that long for every single pill in the bottle to be swallowed down Ashley's throat. She barely noticed it, actually. She had put them there two months ago, and knew that when she was ready, they would come in use.

She was ready.

Ashley sat down in the middle on the bathroom, cross-legged. Now she just had to wait.

**_Call an optimist she's turning blue, such a lovely color for you._**

_I'm coming Spence,_ Ashley thought right as her eyelids got heavy and finally closed.

* * *

_**El Fin  


* * *

**Song: "Blue (remix)" by A Perfect Circle. _


	6. Give It A Break

**Give It A Break**

"With all your shit lying around everywhere!" Spencer yelled loudly at her girlfriend as she threw a pair of pants at the other girls face.

Ashley momentarily stopped talking. Her girlfriend had just cursed, and they weren't having sex. This meant that Spencer was mad. Actually, Ashley was pretty sure that she was royally pissed. She almost felt intimidated. _Almost_.

"This is not even your apartment Spencer!" Ashley yelled back just as loud. She believed it was a valid point.

Spencer huffed around the apartment that was not hers. She knew this, but she didn't care. Her girlfriend was lazy and it wasn't just the messiness that was getting to Spencer. It was everything. For the past week all the couple had been doing was fighting. They continued to bicker over stupid things like an old married couple. Things that could be easily fixed. But Ashley Davies was slightly conceited and indifferent. And Spencer Carlin was stubborn and slightly demanding.

"I don't care." Spencer's red face exclaimed. She again, threw something at Ashley but this time it was a slipper. It hit the very sexy brunette right on the forehead.

"You did not just fucking throw something at my face." Ashley seethed, her hands clenched at her sides.

"You are so fucking lazy Ashley. You're messy, and you don't do anything, and you don't support me. Also, you're always late in paying your bills and you forgot the anniversary of the first time we met!" Spencer spewed out stupid information. Information that was both true and false.

Ashley was messy and she kind of didn't do anything. She also was always late in paying her bills. But Ashley's anger flared even more when Spencer said she never supported her. That was a lie. And the anniversary of the first day they met? _That's not a real anniversary_, Ashley thought. Spencer also knew this last part was inconsequential, but she just needed to say more mean things.

"Screw you, you know I support you, I went to the opening of that play you have been working on for, like, five thousand years." Ashley countered. She ignored the other parts of Spencer's allegations.

Spencer gave Ashley a death glare. "Five thousand years? Don't be sarcastic with me. That was important, school, _for me_, is important."

Ashley's face frowned and she felt her heart hurt a little bit. That was uncalled for, if Ashley wanted to go to college she would.

"What, you think you're _better_ than me because you go to college and I don't? Is that what you're saying?" Ashley asked Spencer roughly. She wouldn't let herself get that upset at the blonde's words. She knew Spencer was just being hot-headed. As was she.

Spencer tried to back peddle. "No, no that's not what I meant, I just, I'm busy a lot Ashley, I can't be at your every beck and call."

"Because you're too busy flirting with that slut-bag Kelly." Ashley answered, Her eyes were now narrow slits. This was partly because she was so mad and partly so that she wouldn't be able to see all of Spencer. Because an angry Spencer turned her on. Any Spencer turned her on and she refused to be the one to give up first.

"We're JUST FRIENDS!" Spencer basically screamed at her jealous girlfriend. "All you ever do is get jealous and think girls are hitting on me. I can have other friends Ashley!"

"I _know_ that." The brunette spit meanly.

It was true. She was constantly jealous, even when Spencer had straight friends. But Ashley knew that Spencer could be the kind of girl that any girl would find attractive. Simply because she was gorgeous and way too innocent. It's not that Ashley didn't trust Spencer, she did with her whole heart. She just trusted no one else.

"Well you don't show it." Spencer said, her arms crossed over her chest.

"You know what Spencer, you're so fucking demanding, all the time. All you do is fucking bitch and moan at me and tell me how much I suck. I just want to hang out with my girlfriend but you're always to busy with your stupid straight friends and your parties and your, your, _homework_." Ashley was determined to have a list of her own. Although if she was completely honest with herself, almost everything she said was false.

"I do not tell you that." Spencer said more softly this time. Her feelings were now actually hurt. She would _never_ tell Ashley she sucked, because her girlfriend was far from it. She was amazingly wonderful. "And I have to do my work if I want to graduate." She finished more roughly than she started.

Ashley rolled her eyes at the blonde, for no other reason than she thought the situation called for an eye roll.

"Don't roll your eyes at me!" Spencer yelled, freshly angry again.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Ashley yelled back.

Spencer scoffed in an overdramatic way while starting to gather her stuff. She grabbed her purse and jacket. "You know what, _baby_, I think we need a break." Spencer said the affectionate term in an extremely mocking way.

Ashley's heart rate sky-rocketed. _She's bluffing_, Ashley thought to herself. "Great!" She played along.

"Good." Spencer spit and walked to the door, opening it.

Ashley followed her, taking hard steps on the wooden floor of the loft. "Don't you walk away from me!"

All the brunette got in response from the blonde was a door slamming in her face

Spencer drove home more angrily than what was safe. Music blared in a deafening way from her speakers as the sunny L.A. sun shined through her windows. She knew she was stubborn and she knew Ashley was stubborn. The more she thought about it, the more she thought about how she didn't want a break. Not at all. But Ashley didn't stop her and there was no way in hell that she was going to give in first. She was determined to make Ashley wait.

Ashley sat on her living room couch holding a freezing cold beer in her one hand and her cell phone in her other hand. Surely, Spencer was joking. She took a sip of the beer and her teeth chattered it was so cold. Ashley watched the screen of her cell phone, waiting for _Spencer_ to pop up. After about an hour of this, she realized that Spencer was testing her. At least, she really hoped her girlfriend was testing her. She didn't want a break. She just wanted Spencer.

The couples' fights had always escalated but one had never gotten so out of hand like this one had. Their stubbornness almost always made matters worse than they actually were.

Another hour passed and Spencer couldn't concentrate on her homework. She sat in her room, on her bed, with her book open, watching her window. She waited to hear a rock thrown against it. Ashley always came to her window. Another hour passed and there was no rock. No small chime.

Sighing to herself, the blonde closed the text book and cracked open a novel she had to have read by tomorrow. She was pissed Ashley had distracted her from her work. Spencer absolutely loathed being unprepared.

The sun was now setting and neither girl had heard from the other. They both hated it. It was just a matter of who would crack first.

Spencer's eyes were just about to close for a late nap when she heard her text message tone sound. Groaning, she flipped the plastic open and read the message from her girlfriend.

**Come here.**

Spencer knew where "here" was and she didn't feel like it. She wrote back.

**No.**

Ashley, shivering slightly from the breeze coming from the ocean, rolled her eyes at her girlfriend's response. She couldn't take it anymore. She was so over this. This whole thing. And she was mad at Spencer's stupid response. She clicked her fingers on the button of her cell phone.

**Just do it. **

Spencer let out a small yell of frustration into her pillow. She knew she would go and she hated that she knew that. The brunette waiting for her had some kind of power over her.

Without saying goodbye to the rest of her family in the house, Spencer bolted out of the door and jumped into her car. She made it to the beach and to the spot where she knew her girlfriend was in records slowest time. Still stubborn, she wanted to make Ashley wait even longer.

Ashley, sitting on the sand, saw the flash of headlights and heard the kill of the engine. She sighed to herself and turned her head to watch the blonde walk towards her at a snail-like pace. She smirked, knowing exactly what Spencer was doing. Making her wait. So fine, she would wait.

Spencer didn't kneel down next to Ashley, she just kept standing. She heard the brunette huff like a child.

"Would you just sit down?" Ashley asked in an annoyed tone.

Spencer complied and kneeled down next to Ashley, facing the side of her. She watched as Ashley's head turned to face her. "I don't want to be on a break anymore." The brunette said forcefully.

"I don't want to break on a break anymore either." Spencer said roughly.

Ashley's eyes squinted at the blonde, taking in the way the breeze was blowing her soft hair over her shoulders and into her perfect face. She saw slight goose bumps rise on her exposed shoulders from the chill in the air. Spencer, in turn, watched as her girlfriend's eyes looked her over and immediately became a shade darker. Spencer never ceased to be amazed at how just the way Ashley would look at her made her feel.

Without any notice or warning, Ashley crashed her lips against Spencer's, pushing her into a demanding kiss. Spencer accepted it and pulled the brunette's curls closer to her. Even their tongues stubbornly fought for control of each other, but neither girl minded.

After a minute of two, Spencer smiled into Ashley's lips, which were now just resting lightly on her own. She was no longer chilly.

Ashley bit Spencer's bottom lip playfully. "I love you." She told Spencer seriously with a sideways smile.

Spencer ran her hands down Ashley's neck, earning a small moan from the girl she was touching. "I love you more."

Ashley kissed her again. "No you don't."

The blonde forcefully pushed Ashley down onto her back and hovered over her body. An action that caused a primal growl to escape her girlfriend's throat. "Yes I do." Spencer murmured before putting her lips back where they belonged.

Ashley didn't argue.

* * *

_**El Fin.**_


	7. This Is My Girlfriend pt 1

_Confetti rainfall and the quiet street.  
The beauty is in what you make it,  
So get up on your feet. _

_Because tonight, the world turned in me.  
Because right now, I don't dare to breathe.  
Oh babe, I know, it's alive and somewhere for us to find tonight.  
Chase this light with me. _

**This Is My Girlfriend (Part One)**

"This is my girlfriend, Spencer."

Spencer stuck out her hand to shake it with the girl in front of her. Spencer gave a warm smile as her hand slipped gently into the small brunettes. Spencer's boyfriend, James, wrapped his long arm around his gorgeous girl. It wasn't protective, no. And it wasn't possessive, no. It was simply an act that was meant for him to be in contact with her in some way. Because he loved her.

The brunette smiled shyly at the blonde girl. James, her old friend from high school, had been dying to introduce his girlfriend to his close friend. He was sure they would get along great. The brunette didn't say anything except her smile. Of course, this beautiful girl was absolutely stunning, and of course she was straight. It always went that way. But if she had asked James, he would always say the opposite. He always thought all the hot girls were gay, the ones his friend used to go out with.

So here was there median.

"Ashley is a little shy." James told Spencer with a sly grin.

"That's alright. It's always the shy ones who are the troublemakers." Spencer said with a chuckle.

Spencer wanted to make a good impression. James had talked about Ashley a few times, and at first she was jealous. But then her boyfriend assured her that they were just friends, they always had been. Except for that one time James had asked Ashley out, and she nicely declined his offer. Of course, James never told Spencer that. Not that he was hiding it, it was just unnecessary information.

Ashley still hadn't said anything. She just kept her eyes on the blonde attached to her friend. She noticed small things about them together. The couple looked good together, there was no doubt about that. James had that sexy smart guy look going on, with the glasses and stubble to boot. Spencer didn't physically fit James' physic, though. Her curves didn't fit in the places they were supposed to in James, and you could tell when they stood side by side. Or maybe it was just Ashley who thought so.

She also noticed Spencer's eyes were very blue. As were James' but Spencer's had something else in them. Ashley thought maybe it was a blue overload, the two of them together.

"Why don't you two talk a bit and I'll go get us some drinks." James said, motioning for the girls to sit in the booth. He gave Spencer a nice kiss on the lips before he left. It was the perfect amount of time for out in public. Not too long. Not so chaste as to be only friendly. It showed her cared and respected.

Spencer scooted in across from Ashley in the small booth and smiled at her. The blonde strip in the smaller girls bangs intrigued Spencer. She never really thought curly hair was pretty, but the brunette wore it well.

"So, James speaks highly of you." Spencer rushed out nervously. The silence was getting awkward. She needed to say something.

Ashley nodded. "I'm glad. He's a great guy."

Spencer was immediately taken aback by the tone of the girls voice. There was this…huskiness to it that she hadn't expected. Usually girls as pretty as Ashley had high, obnoxious voices. Ashley did not apply.

"He is. You guys known each other long?" Spencer asked, trying hard to hide the jealousy in her voice. Her mind told her that this Ashley girl was _way_ out of James' league but the she felt bad for even thinking that. He was her boyfriend after all. And it's not like he was bad looking, he was very handsome. Spencer thought that maybe Ashley was just out of everyone's leagues.

"Since high school. I was kind of, uh, his wingman, girl. Whatever." Ashley said and chuckled while ducking her head.

Spencer liked the brunette's laugh. It was husky like her voice. "Anything about James' high school history I should know?" Spencer asked Ashley jokingly. Part of her was serious though.

Ashley thought for a second. James was kind of a ladies man in high school. Not an obnoxious kind, the kind where girls just seemed to gravitate to him. Ashley had always been jealous because she was more reserved than her counterpart. "Girls always did have a thing for him." Ashley told James' girlfriend the truth. She smiled though, to show it wasn't a big deal.

Spencer nodded. "I could kind of tell. What about you, I bet guys are all over you." Spencer felt stupid after saying that. Maybe it was too much, too blunt, but she as sure it was true.

Ashley felt a little hot. "Oh, I don't know..." She wondered whether or not to point out her sexual orientation. It had taken her forever to come out to people she was close with, and she didn't even know this girl. So why did she feel the strong need to tell the blonde she was gay?

"How's my favorite girls?" James' voice interrupted Ashley's inner dialogue and interrupted Spencer's staring contest with the girls chocolate eyes.

"Good." Spencer took the drink from her boyfriend's hand. "Thank sweetie." She said sweetly, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

Ashley turned away.

"Ash, you meeting anyone here?" James asked his friend as he sipped a beer.

Ashley shook her head. "Nope." She locked eyes with James, her eyes telling him to not say anything. James understood. He knew Ashley was somewhat reserved about letting new people in. He just hoped she got along with his new girlfriend. He really liked Spencer.

The threesome sat in their booth, sipping their drinks, and talked for a while. It took Ashley a little bit to open up, but she eventually did. Each smile Spencer threw her way made her feel safer, in some way. She found out Spencer was a junior in college, studying sociology because she wanted to be a lawyer. Ashley was impressed. Having just graduated college, she had no idea what she wanted to do.

Ashley learned how James and Spencer met. It was at a party that James' friend Shawn had dragged him to. Funny, Ashley though, she vaguely remembered James inviting her to that party a couple of months ago. Ashley enjoyed how Spencer openly mocked her boyfriend in a playful way. She wasn't an insecure girlfriend. She was funny and interesting.

"…and then James made us walk a mile to 7/11 because he was hungry and had the munchies." Ashley chuckled, finishing a story about them in high school.

"I was a stupid eighteen year old, I was high, I needed food." James laughed out.

Spencer laughed, she didn't giggle, she genuinely laughed from deep inside and met Ashley's eyes. Ashley smiled, mesmerized by the sight of the blonde.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"I'm gunna get some air." Ashley said a while later, getting up from her side of the booth.

Spencer got up too. Why? She wasn't sure. "I'll come with you." Spencer made James move to let her out and she gave him a smile as she left. He was glad the girls were getting along.

It was nice outside as the girls took a seat on a bench.

"James really likes you." Ashley said, turning to look at the blonde.

Spencer nodded. "I like him a lot. He's a good guy."

They shared a comfortable silence. Ashley wasn't sure why she felt so okay with this girl. It usually took her a while to warm up to people. It helped, though, that Spencer happened to be very pretty and nice.

"So, do you have a boyfriend or anything?" Spencer asked purely because she was curious. Ashley had to be with someone, she was too gorgeous not to.

Ashley's eyes wandered out in front of her, through the parking lot. "Um, no."

"Girlfriend?" Spencer joked, flashing Ashley a playful smile.

Ashley tensed for a second and met the blonde's bright eyes. "Uh, well." She stuttered. "Not right now." She said so quietly she wasn't even sure Spencer heard her say it.

Spencer's eyes snapped back to the chocolate ones next to her. When the chocolate ones buried into hers, that was all the confirmation Spencer needed. She was glad she wasn't standing because her legs might have given out.

"Well, that is definitely a loss for the male species." Spencer said warmly. Ashley seemed relieved and smiled at the blonde. Like, really smiled, dimples outlined and nose just a tiny bit scrunched up.

Spencer was pretty sure she had never, in her life, seen something as cute. That baby chipmunk she saw the other day was close, but Ashley was light years ahead of that animal.

"Thanks." Ashley murmured shyly, shifting her head away.

Spencer shrugged. "It's true." Spencer was not sure why she said what she said next, she just wanted to and it slipped out before anything could stop her. "Would you wanna, hang out sometime or something?"

Ashley looked at her and wanted to speak but she was distracted by the way Spencer was pushing her hair behind her ear. "I mean, if you want to." Spencer went on. "I mean, I'm not very busy because of summer, just work, but if you ever want-"

"Yeah, I'd like that." Ashley said, interrupting the blonde's ranting. She wanted to make sure Spencer knew she really would love to hang out with her. "Where do you work?"

Spencer chuckled kind of like a little kid. "Toys R Us."

Ashley laughed. "That's awesome."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ashley's eyes were still closed when her phone rang early in the morning. She grumbled and flipped over in the black sheets of her bed. Her hand reached out to the night table to stop the offensive device.

Eyes still closed, she answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, it's Spencer. Um, oh, did I wake you up?" Spencer asked nervously. She kept her eyes on the road as she was driving.

Ashley's chocolate eyes snapped open. She attempted to wipe the sleep away from her voice. "Oh, uh, no, you didn't." She glanced at the clock, it was eleven. Maybe not _early_ morning. "How are you?"

"Hungry. Wanna get brunch. If you're hungry, too?"

Spencer was still a little nervous talking to Ashley. She didn't want to be too forward and pushy and scare the girl away. She seemed somewhat reserved. But Spencer had this feeling for Ashley, that she just wanted to be around her. She felt better about things.

"Yeah, I'm hungry. I eat brunch." Ashley cringed. Since when did she become such a dork? Oh, since always.

"Okay, um, I'll come pick you up."

And Spencer Carlin did pick Ashley Davies up. She rolled up the curb of Ashley's apartment building and waited outside. Her fingers tapped against the steering wheel in anticipation. When she heard a door open and close, the blonde's head turned to the side. Ashley walked slowly to the car, sunglasses on the top of her head, jean shorts, and a plain white t-shirt adorning her body. Since the sun was so bright, Spencer noticed she kind of glowed a little bit.

Spencer didn't know it, but she was wearing a smile the whole time.

"Hey." Ashley said as she got in the car and gave her new friend a gentle smile.

"Hi." Spencer smiled back.

They didn't exchange any more words as they went on their way. The noise from Spencer's CD player played in the background, providing for a comfortable silence. Spencer noticed that Ashley would tap her foot or bob her head every so often. It was, for lack of any other perfect word, adorable.

"You like _Jimmy Eat World_?" Spencer asked, throwing Ashley a sideways glance.

"My favorite." The brunette smiled.

"Mine too."

The small diner that the two girls stepped inside was comfy. It was, perhaps, a bit too intimate. But only the kind of intimate where it was intimate if you noticed. If you didn't notice it was intimate, it wasn't.

Both girls noticed. Neither said anything.

The hostess gave them a fake smile and led them to a small booth for two in the back. Ashley thought maybe the conversation would be slow to flow, but it wasn't at all. She didn't think there was a pause in their talking at all. Ashley liked it.

"Did you have a boyfriend before James?" Ashley asked as she popped a French fry into her mouth.

They had been there for over an hour. Maybe it was more, Ashley thought. But it seemed like nothing. Talk ranged from favorite color and movie to high school and their futures. Ashley felt extremely comfortable with the blonde, more so than most other people. The way she tilted her head and smiled made Ashley's stomach feel all fluttery.

For the first time, Spencer looked almost shy. "Uh, no, actually. I had-" No one interrupted her, she just gave Ashley a soft smile before she went on. "I had a girlfriend, though."

If the brunette didn't already have her eyes locked on Spencer's blue ones, they would have snapped back to them. "Really?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, her name was Catherine. Does, did that surprise you?" She asked with a slight chuckle.

"Kind of." Ashley admitted. "Does James know…that?"

"Oh, yeah. I mean, when we talked about past relationships I was tempted to just say Carl." Spencer laughed lightly and ducked her head. "But I'm not hiding or anything."

Ashley looked at Spencer. She really looked at her, not just shy glances like she had been doing the whole day. Spencer was beautiful, her blonde hair was long but not too long. It was blonde but not too blonde. Natural. Her skin looked smooth and soft. And her eyes. Well, her eyes were something gorgeous in themselves. Ashley had originally thought that Spencer Carlin was the kind of straight girl that gay girls get crushes on.

Ashley had been the master of the straight-girl crush. Always wanting something she couldn't have. It was, she thought, one of the worst feelings.

"That's cool." Is all Ashley said in response. "If you don't mind me asking, why'd you break up?"

Spencer just took a breath. "She wasn't who I thought she was." The blonde said cryptically. Ashley kind of wanted to laugh. She didn't though. She wasn't being mean, it was just such a serious statement.

A little while later, the two girls decided to head out. There was a struggle of who would pay. Ashley fought but Spencer won.

"I had a really good time with you. Thanks for hanging out with me." Spencer said as they drove down the road, again with the cadence of the stereo rising and falling in the background.

Ashley turned to the blonde in the driver's seat. "Me too. And thank you for getting me out of bed."

Spencer chuckled. "Any time." She gave a shy glance towards Ashley, because her words sounded more…sexual coming out of her mouth than they had sounded in her head. "I think me and James are going out sometime this week, you should come."

Ashley smiled. "Sure. That would be fun."

Spencer parked the car outside when they got to Ashley's. She turned in her seat to face the brunette. She kind of wanted to hug the girl, but Spencer wasn't sure if that would be too much. Ashley just looked…soft. In a good way.

"Well, um, I'll talk to you later then?" Spencer said quietly.

Ashley nodded, her hand on the door handle. "Definitely." She thought for a second and met those blue eyes that had been mesmerizing her all day. Letting go of the door handle, Ashley went to hug Spencer, wrapping her arms around the girls neck. The first thing she noticed was how incredibly good she smelt. Kind of like, peaches. Ashley absolutely loved peaches.

Even though Spencer was surprised, she hugged the smaller but older girl back. The second she made contact she felt electricity. And the second she felt electricity, she knew she was in trouble.

Good or bad? She couldn't be sure yet.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	8. This Is My Girlfriend pt 2

_When the time we have now ends,  
When the big hand goes round again.  
Can you still feel the butterflies?  
Can you still hear the last goodnight?_

_I close my eyes and believe, wherever you are, an angel for me. _

**This Is My Girlfriend (Part Two)**

"Hi, um, is Spencer Carlin working?" Ashley asked a grumpy looking lady at the register in _Toys R Us_. She thought the toy store should be a happy place, one not filled with angry old ladies.

The grumpy lady with, what might have been, purplish hair pointed her finger to the back. "She's in the _Lego_ area."

The lady had said this so seriously that Ashley almost snorted, but she held back in fear she might get kicked out, or just kicked by the lady.

"Thanks." Ashley mumbled and made her way through aisles and aisles of toys. Ashley was similar to a little boy, inside a hot twenty-something body. Every time she passed a toy sword, or remote-control car, or light-saber, she just had to play with it. So, by the time she actually reached Spencer in the _Lego_ area, Ashley had a light-saber and a large bouncy ball in her hands. She was seriously contemplating buying them.

"Hey!" Spencer exclaimed as she saw Ashley walking towards her.

Ashley smiled wide. She couldn't help but notice just how absolutely adorable the blonde looked in her khaki pants and bright blue polo t-shirt.

"Hey there, I forgot how much fun this place is." Ashley chuckled, setting down her toys to give her fairly new friend a hug.

"Well, I see you're remembering quickly." Spencer said with a smirk, pointing to the ball and plastic light-saber.

"Get me a discount?" Ashley asked Spencer, eyes wide, mouth in a pout.

Spencer was momentarily dazed. If Ashley had looked at her like that while asking her to rob a bank, she would agree in a split-second.

"I'll see what I can do." Spencer said while playing with some legos on a table.

Ashley took a seat on one of the plastic chairs in the middle of the play area. The chair was small and kind of uncomfortable. "So this is what you do all day, play with toys while looking like a nerd?"

Spencer shot Ashley a playful eye roll. "I'm _cleaning_. And these khakis happen to be very comfortable, thank you."

Ashley smiled shyly. "I was just kidding. You look cute, I think." The brunette's face got red before she even let all of the words out. She didn't mean to call the blonde cute so blatantly, it just happened. A slip of the tongue.

Spencer turned her head away to hide her blush. "Thanks." She murmured.

The two girls spent about an hour in _Toys R Us_. Ashley just followed Spencer around while she cleaned up aisles and helped little kids look for toys. Sometimes Ashley would purposely mess things up so Spencer had to clean it. The blonde would shove the brunette playfully every time. It was cute how Spencer helped the small children, bending down and smiling to them. It made Ashley want to hug the younger girl. They had to be careful not to make a mess, because they did play with some of the toys. How could they not? An incident involving a very heated sword fight caused Spencer's manager to berate her for playing too much and not working. Ashley was sure she hadn't had such a good time with someone in a very, very long time.

"Sorry I left so early the other night." Ashley said to Spencer as the blonde punched out at the end of the day.

"That's okay." Spencer gave the brunette a warm smile.

_It was already midnight when Ashley finally got to the club that she was meeting Spencer and James at. It was slightly dark inside, so she had a hard time finding the pair. She almost hadn't come, actually. Clubs weren't really her kind of thing. Ashley much preferred to just watch a movie and hang out at home over being pushed against drunk, sweaty bodies of guys who probably only wanted one-night stands. But Spencer had invited her, and if she were honest with herself, she wanted to see Spencer. And James, too, she guessed. _

_Spencer scanned the crowd once again for some pretty curly hair that belonged to her new friend. She was excited to see her again. She hadn't seen her since they went out to brunch, although Spencer and Ashley had talked on the phone a couple of times. Spencer was never really the kind of person to have long phone conversations. They always seemed like an inconvenience. But it was different with Ashley. Time went quickly. _

"_You want a drink babe?" James asked his girlfriend Spencer as they stood at the bar. Spencer smiled appreciatively at him. _

"_Sure, I'll take a Gin and Tonic." Spencer said as she tapped her fingers on the bar while her boyfriend ordered. _

_To be honest, Spencer never really saw this relationship with James going anywhere serious. He was fun to spend time with. He was a nice guy and very good-looking. But Spencer was getting bored. Even though the blonde tried not to think about it, she always seemed to get bored with guys she went out with. She was never bored with Catherine, her ex-girlfriend. At first, Spencer had thought that it was Catherine as a person she was attracted to. _

_But maybe she liked girls more than she thought she did. _

_Spencer was taken away from her thoughts when a soft hand landed on her shoulder. _

"_Hey." Ashley said, greeting Spencer with a smile._

"_Ashley." Spencer breathed as she gave the small brunette a tight hug. "You made it."_

"_Ash! Hey!" James said excitedly as he turned around to face the two girls. "How ya doing?"_

_Ashley nodded. "Good. Sorry I'm a little late."_

"_Don't worry about it. I'm glad you're here now, though." Spencer reassured her. _

_The three of them, again, drank some drinks and talked amicably by the bar. After a while James was distracted by a guy who was apparently one of his buddies. Spencer downed the last of her drink, she wasn't sure what number. _

"_You wanna dance?" The blonde asked Ashley. She hadn't even noticed that James was no longer by them. _

_Ashley looked hesitant. She could dance, but sometimes she felt uncomfortable doing it. "Uh…"_

"_Come on." Spencer said as she tugged on Ashley's hand, leading her to the dance floor. _

_Spencer was easy to fall into the music while Ashley was kind of tense. In the beginning, at least. Once Spencer gripped Ashley's hips and helped her loosen up, the brunette suddenly felt more comfortable. Spencer's hands were soft and were touching Ashley delicately. _

"_So, I have a theory about you." Spencer whispered into Ashley's ears as they got closer and danced more, ignoring the beat of the music. They were kind of in their own world. _

"_Oh yeah?" Ashley chuckled. "What's that?"_

_Spencer brought her hands further around Ashley's waist, pulling her closer. "I think your shyness is just a cover. You're probably really…sly."_

"_Maybe." Ashley said with a slight smile. "I got one about you, too."_

_Ashley's hands went to Spencer's shoulders, and there was a moment there where on of her fingers brushed Spencer's exposed collarbone. Spencer felt it. "What is it?"_

"_You have that whole, innocent thing going on. But I'm sure you're a badass." Ashley said into Spencer's ear. The lips that were almost touching the shell of the blonde's ear made her shiver slightly. _

"_Maybe." Spencer reiterated Ashley's response. _

_As they danced for a longer amount of time, they started to get closer to the others body. Spencer noticed that she fit nicely into Ashley. It felt better than dancing with James. She was sure of this. This was something Ashley noticed as well. And in the moment where Ashley rested her head in Spencer's neck, she immediately pulled away. Far away. Because she was so incredibly tempted to kiss the blonde's neck she was scared she might actually do it. _

_Walking back to the bar, the two girls found James. He gave Spencer a small kiss to the forehead and wrapped his arm around her. Ashley looked at the exchange and frowned. She looked away quickly afterwards. _

_Shortly after that, Ashley excused herself, saying she was tired and would go home. Spencer offered to walk her home, or at least outside. But Ashley declined._

_With a glance back at Spencer, Ashley said goodnight with a smile. "Goodnight." _

"So, what are you doing for the rest of the day?" Spencer asked Ashley as they walked out into the parking lot, side by side.

Ashley shrugged. "Nothing important. You wanna, watch a movie or something?"

Spencer nodded. "Yeah, I feel like relaxing."

Ashley slipped her shades on and peered at the blonde from behind the safety of them. She smiled, but Spencer didn't see just how much the chocolate eyes were twinkling. "Cool. We can go to my apartment."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ahh, your couch is comfortable." Spencer said as she fell back onto the soft cushions of Ashley's large couch.

Ashley chuckled while grabbing some waters from her fridge. "I had to find the most comfortable couch. It's great for taking naps."

"Well, I might just fall asleep here, you are warned." The blonde said with a sly smile.

Ashley took a seat next to Spencer on the comfortable couch and pressed the _on_ button on her remote control. She felt part of her legs and thighs touching the cool khaki pants next to her. She didn't move. Ashley and Spencer spent a couple of hours just flipping through TV channels. They made fun of the _Home Shopping Network_, put the Spanish Soap Operas on mute and made up their own dialogue, and laughed over how unfortunate it was that the blonde shared a name with that dick-wad Spencer Pratt from _The Hills_.

Worn out from her long day at work, Spencer started to nod off during an infomercial for _Snuggies_, those weird full body blankets. The blonde's head drooped down onto Ashley's shoulder and Ashley smiled. She didn't want to wake the tired blonde up, so she just let her sleep. After all, she looked absolutely adorable while she slept. Ashley must have been more tired than she though, because she was soon fast asleep as well.

Spencer's eyes fluttered opened and the first thing she noticed was that they had been closed. She didn't remember falling asleep. The second thing she noticed was that there was a body almost on top of her. Ashley's warm body had been serving as a blanket and pillow for the few hours that their nap had taken them. The brunette was breathing softly into Spencer's neck, one arm laid gently across Spencer's abdomen and the other under the back of her head.

The blonde kind of didn't want to move, she was so comfortable. This was like the best nap she had ever had. Ashley pushed her face further into Spencer's neck and that's when Spencer drifted back off to sleep.

When Ashley opened her eyes, she was met with crystal blue ones staring back at her. She blinked and saw that Spencer was just waking up as well. She hadn't even remembered getting into this position. This position being the one where she was curled up almost on top of Spencer.

Ashley lifted her head up slightly. "Hey." She said more huskily than usual.

The second the brunette spoke in that voice Spencer knew she wanted to kiss her. It was definite. "Hi."

"I'm sorry." Ashley yawned and Spencer smiled at her cuteness. "Did I crush you?" Ashley asked, worried. But she didn't move, because Spencer was very comfortable. Like a teddy bear.

"Oh, no. You were a good pillow." Spencer said shyly.

"Oh, good." Ashley chuckled and Spencer felt the vibrations. "Um, I don't know how this happened."

Spencer smiled, watching the chocolate eyes search her own for a feeling of awkwardness of discomfort. There was none.

"Me either." Spencer said slowly. "But, I think we should be nap partners." The blonde said with a cheeky grin. She tried not to be too serious. Or let her eyes look at the lips she thought would be very soft and wet and wonderful on her own.

Ashley finally let her head rest down back into Spencer's neck. It was soft and warm there and her lips were _this_ close to touching the skin. "Me too." She murmured.

The older girl felt Spencer's heart start to beat a little more rapidly from their close contact. They were, after all, practically on top of each other. And if one wanted to move, they would have, right? These thoughts consumed Ashley's head, they made her press her lips lightly to the blonde's exposed neck. It was right there in front of her, she couldn't help it. She felt Spencer's breath tighten in response. So she did it again, a little less innocent. A little more needy.

Spencer's arms tightened around Ashley. One went into her curls and the other around her back, rubbing it so slowly and softly it didn't even look like her hand was moving. But Ashley felt it. Ashley moved her lips up to press a very delicate kiss under the blonde's ear.

It was possible, Spencer thought, that she might explode. She wasn't sure what was happening. But she was sure she liked it. Wanted it.

"Spencer." Ashley murmured into the other girls neck. She didn't know why she said the blonde's name. It jut came out. At the sound of her own name falling from the brunette's lips, the ache in Spencer's body heightened ten-fold. "I'm sorry, I- I don't know what I'm doing." Ashley admitted quietly.

Spencer pulled Ashley's head from her neck and cupped the older girls cheek with her hand. Chocolate eyes looked nervous and she just wanted them to look safe.

"I do." She whispered to Ashley's lips right before she kissed her so gently and lightly that it was almost not real. But it was real. Because both girls heard the other whimper from the contact and both girls felt the wave of heat and shot of electricity go through them.

Their lips gently massaged the others. Never going further. Never going deeper. Just staying there, motioning over and over. If either of them had to describe it, they would both say it felt _right_.

Perfectly _right_.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey babe." James gave his girlfriend a kiss on the cheek as he let her into his apartment.

Spencer looked around and felt calm. There could possibly be a fancier word, a more complex word. But calm was perfect. It was simple and blunt. This apartment had always been something Spencer liked. It was simple too. It was a guys apartment, but not really as dirty.

The blonde sat down on the couch and the first thing she thought was that it definitely was not as comfortable as Ashley's couch. Ashley's couch. The one that held their nap. Their simple kisses that Spencer could _still_ feel, and taste. She got butterflies, shivers, just thinking about Ashley's lips touching her own. Soft and gentle, full of nothing more than adoration. Complete adoration. There was no way to describe the whirlwind of emotions the older brunette girl made Spencer feel. Ashley was just so sweet. With her deep chocolate eyes, perfectly defined jaw, incredibly luscious lips, smooth tan skin, very round-

"Spence?"

Spencer blinked her eyes and looked to James sitting next to her. He had a worried expression on his face, like he was losing her.

Well, maybe he was.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	9. This Is My Girlfriend pt 3

_I got a story, it's almost finished.  
Now all I need is someone to tell it to.  
Maybe that's you. _

**This Is My Girlfriend (Part Three)**

"James, we need to talk." Spencer said softly, looking him straight in his blue eyes. They were nice. But she happened to like brown ones better.

James exhaled audibly. "I could tell."

Spencer gave him a confused expression. "You could?"

James nodded. He played with the collar of his shirt, probably out of nervousness. Or out of knowing. "It's Ashley, right?"

Spencer just looked at him. How did he know? "I, well, I don't know James, it's just that…" The blonde trailed off, not really knowing how exactly to describe, in perfect or any detail, what it was about Ashley. Because it was everything about the brunette. And Spencer could go on for hours and hours describing her and speaking all the things she liked, admired, craved, about the older girl.

"Come on Spence. I know what Ashley looks like. I know you've been hanging out with her a lot since you two met. Honestly, I was that way about the girl for a while."

This surprised Spencer. She hadn't known James had ever been interested in his friend. But then again, how could anyone not be interested in Ashley Davies?

"You did? I never knew that." She said quietly, a small smile playing at her lips.

James nodded and leaned back into the couch. "Yeah, when we were in high school. But then, you know, I'm not really her preference."

Spencer chuckled genuinely. No, he was definitely not Ashley's preference.

"I'm sorry James." Spencer admitted honestly. Because she was. She felt bad, but she felt something, _something_ more genuine and…wonderful with the brunette she had only met a little while ago. "I think you're a great guy, though."

Now it was James' turn to chuckle genuinely. "That's what they all say." He sang out. "I get it though. She's gorgeous. You're gorgeous. It works."

Spencer's heart felt warm at the way James was acting. He was being great, understanding. At least Spencer knew she had picked a great guy. Too bad he was just that, a guy.

"So you know." James continued with a sly smile. "If you ever need a third…"

Spencer slapped James on the arm. "Hey! Gross, no."

James laughed and smiled at his now ex-girlfriend.

"Friends?" He asked, holding out his hand.

The blonde nodded and shook it warmly. "Definitely."

Spencer gave her friend James a kiss on the cheek right before she left, out his door and into her car. Down the road, onto the highway, off the highway and to Ashley's apartment complex. It was funny, she had butterflies in her stomach walking up to Ashley's door. She felt tingly and she couldn't even see the girl. It was just the sole thought. She smiled as she knocked on the door.

"Hey." Ashley said nervously when she opened it. Her hands were clasped together and her brow was furrowed.

"I broke up with James." Spencer blurted, taking a step into the cozy apartment. Her eyes wandered over the brunette girl, wearing baggy pajama pants and a tank top. She was pretty sure her blue eyes glazed over at the sight of the other girl. She looked…delicious.

"I, you did?" Ashley asked, closing the door and walking up to Spencer. Closer than was necessary for a conversation. The blonde nodded as her hand reached out to play with the hem of Ashley's worn tank top. "Uh, I'm sorry?"

Spencer chuckled and met twinkling, bright chocolate eyes. "I'm sure you are." She said dryly, with a hint of a smile on her lips.

"Yeah, I'm not." Ashley admitted. "Why?" The brunette asked stupidly. Obviously she knew the answer to that question, but this Ashley Davies was never very conceited. Also, she was quite distracted by the soft hand that was now rubbing her very hot stomach under her shirt.

Spencer took a step closer to the girl. "Because I want you." She simply explained.

Ashley felt her heart beating furiously. "I want you too."

"You do?" Spencer asked slyly.

The brunette nodded vigorously. She nodded with a sense of purpose and absolute sureness. Ashley grinned when Spencer traced her jaw line, lips, and nose with a finger. Ashley shyly pulled Spencer towards her by her belt loops so that they were nose to nose. "Should I feel bad for James?"

"I think he'll be just fine." Spencer murmured. Then she made contact with lips that had consumed her mind and body.

Smiling into the kiss, Ashley let her hands rub Spencer's sides affectionately. They moved to the small of her back and gripped harder when her bottom lip was bitten by Spencer.

"This is all you neck's fault, you know." Ashley said through pants as she pulled away, but not too far, from the girl in front of her.

"My neck?"

"Yeah, it tempted me."

Spencer smiled and gave the side of Ashley's mouth a wet kiss. "Other parts of me can tempt you too, ya know."

And they did.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"What about her?" James asked, squinting his eyes through the crowded bar.

"Straight." Both Ashley and Spencer said at the same time. "Definitely straight."

James nodded. "You sure?" The guy wanted to be sure this time. Like, really sure.

"Yes." Spencer laughed as she turned into Ashley to hug her deeper. The brunette nudged Spencer's cheek with her nose playfully before kissing it.

"Okay good." He glanced at his two friends. "God, get a room."

"We will later." Spencer smirked. Ashley blushed and ducked her head.

As James went across the room to talk to the girl he had spotted, Spencer brought her hands around Ashley's neck.

"Hi."

"Hi there." Ashley responded, inching her lips closer to Spencer's. "Can we play at _Toys R Us _tomorrow?"

Spencer rolled her eyes at the other girl. "You're such a little kid."

"I just think you look sexy in your khakis. Like a sexy nerd." Ashley said thoughtfully. Her eyes locked on Spencer's pretty blue ones and she smiled.

"Uh, hey." A deep voice interrupted their staring match. Alright, eye-fucking was more like it. Both girls turned to look at James and the girl who was at his side. She was cute, and looking at James with wide, happy eyes. "This is Jenna."

They introduced themselves.

"Hi, I'm Ashley." She paused and looked at Spencer, smiling at the words she would get to say next. "This is my girlfriend, Spencer."

* * *

_**El Fin**_


	10. Birds Of A Feather

**Birds Of A Feather**

_Click._

_Click._

I fluttered my eyes open from a light sleep.

_Click._

I groaned as I sat up in my bed. What was that noise?

_Crash._

I bolted out of bed and saw the window in my room shattered, glass falling down the two stories. My heart was racing as I looked outside, looking for a burglar or some kind of crazy murderer. All I saw was a curly-haired brunette standing in the grass with her mouth agape. There was a look of shock on her face and a rock in her hand.

My door bursted open and my mom rushed in, first looking me over to see if I was okay. Second looking at the broken window.

"What's going on!?" She said to me in a very sleepy, anxious voice. Her eyes were still foggy from sleeping. She always went to bed early and has to be up early. She had an early shift tomorrow morning.

I thought quickly for a second, not wanting my best friend to get in trouble.

"Uh, it was a bird! It just smacked itself against the window!" I lied to her stupidly.

She looked at me, puzzled for a minute. "Where is it?" She whispered, her eyes glancing around the room.

"It, um, it left. Don't worry mom, I'll clean it up tomorrow. Go back to bed."

My mother gave me a small smile. And with a kiss to my forehead, she closed my door and went back to sleep.

I let out a nervous breath, glad she wasn't more awake to ask any more questions. My mother wasn't the biggest fan of my best friend and she would be so angry if she knew Ashley was sneaking into my room late at night.

I walked over to my broken window and looked outside. I didn't see Ashley anywhere. "Ash?" I yelled as quietly as I could.

Her head popped out from some of the bushes on the side of the house. I motioned for her to come up and she started to climb the ivy attached to our white house.

"I am so sorry Spence. I guess I threw the rock too hard." Ashley blushed as she said her words.

"Be careful." I told her as I took her hand and helped her through the jagged window. Her hand was always so soft in mine and it was worth it to be awake to see her.

"What did you say?"

I smirked at her. "It told her it was a bird."

"A bird?" Ashley snorted, kicking off her shoes and sitting on my bed. "Who would believe that?"

"My mother, apparently." I chuckled, setting myself next to her. "What are you doing here?"

Ashley didn't say anything. She just played with her fingers in her lap. I had known the girl for a while, and I knew that that was her nervous action. Even though the Ashley Davies people had thought they knew of at school was loud and obnoxious, the Ashley Davies I knew was actually kind of shy. I thought she was adorable when she was shy.

"Ash." I tried to say her name in a comforting tone. I placed my hand on her knee and rubbed it affectionately.

Ashley let out a breathe and her head was down, watching my fingers rub the jean material covering her knee. I had always had this pull to touch her in some way, to let her know that I was there. It was just something that was always present and I never questioned it. I tried to not let it mean anything more than friendship.

"I broke up with Sarah." Ashley told me, her eyes coming to meet mine.

I held back a grin. "Oh, I'm sorry."

She smirked at me playfully. "No you're not Spencer."

"Yes I am." I lied to her. "What happened?"

Ashley laid back on my bed, some of her t-shirt riding up. I could see, in the dark, the faint outline of abs on skin that looked as smooth as velvet. I tore my eyes away as she spoke.

"I don't know."

"Well, why did you do it?" I asked her.

I never liked Ashley's girlfriend Sarah. She was annoying and to be painfully honest, she was stupid. But Ashley thought she was cute. For the past three months, it had been Sarah this and Sarah that. I didn't mind because it seemed that my best friend really liked this girl. But I didn't like Sarah. She _always_ tagged along, everywhere, even when Ashley didn't invite her. Plus, one time she told me the shirt I was wearing was ugly. So I told her she was a moron. We never got along after that.

"Just felt like." Ashley mumbled.

I tickled her side and I saw a grin spread across her face. Ashley laughed and pleaded for me to stop between breaths. When I gave her mercy, I left my hand on her shirt, faintly outlining the bottom of it. I hoped she didn't notice.

"You don't break up with someone just because you feel like it, Ash."

Ashley rolled on her side and propped her head up in her hand, elbow lifting her head slightly. "Sure you do. I just did."

I rolled my eyes at my silly best friend. "Okay, well, are you okay?" I asked her softly. Ashley set her head in my lap. I laughed quietly to myself as I started to run my fingers through her hair.

"I'm fine. I didn't like her much anyways." Ashley mumbled, her eyes were starting to close.

"You're really not gunna tell me why you broke up with her?" I asked again, knowing that my best friend would eventually tell me.

"I like someone else." She stated simply.

I sighed, thinking of who it could be. I was so sick of all the dumb girls Ashley would go out with. I knew it was immature and selfish, but I just wanted my best friend to myself.

"It's not that Anna girl is it? I heard she has crabs." I spoke to Ashley's head in my lap.

Ashley chuckled. "Ew. And no, not her."

"It better not be Madison." I told her in a stern voice.

"God, Spence, have more faith in me." Her arm came around my back and she pulled herself closer to me. I smiled at her warm touch. "The girls I like are not total bitches. The girls I like are- really pretty and sweet."

"Well, who is it?" I wondered.

Ashley mumbled something against shirt.

"Ashley." I laughed, playfully tugging on her hair. "I have no idea what you jut said."

"It's you." She said softly, her large brown eyes looking up to meet my shocked ones. I could see the fear and nervousness in them as she continued to look at me. She bit her lip, waiting for me to respond.

My heart was beating a thousand miles a minute. "Me?"

Ashley nodded. "You like me?" I asked again. I felt dizzy.

"Yes." She answered quietly.

I felt a smug smile come to my face. "You like me."

Ashley rolled her eyes. "Don't get all self-absorbed."

I gave her a wide grin. "You _liiiiike_ me." I sang.

And in a flash, Ashley was no longer in my lap. She moved to basically straddle me in our sitting position on the bed. My smug smile left my face and I got electric shocks on my body. Intense electric shocks.

"Yeah, I like you." Ashley stated again, her eyes wandering around my face. It took my hands a while to move in the state of shock I was in, but when they finally did, they held her tightly to me by her waist.

Her brown eyes pierced mine. "Ash." I breathed, resting my forehead against hers.

"Spencer, I really want to kiss you." Ashley murmured to my lips. "Can I kiss you?"

I closed my eyes and let a small smile play on my lips. "What are you waiting for?"

And, with my eyes closed, I felt my best friend's lips hesitantly brush against mine. It was so soft and so wonderful. I couldn't believe it took this long to happen. After Ashley pulled away to make sure I wasn't going to freak out, and when she found no fear in my eyes, just love, I grabbed her face to mine and kissed her.

I felt her smile against my lips

"I like you too." I told her after we pulled away from each others faces for oxygen.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I woke up the next morning, I felt a warm Ashley cuddled up into my side. I smiled to myself and kissed her on the forehead. Just when I was about to drift back to sleep again, my bedroom door burst open.

"Spencer, I'm going to- is that Ashley?" At the sound of my mother's voice, both Ashley and I were immediately awake and sitting up in bed.

"Oh my God, Mrs. Carlin, I'm sor-" Ashley started to tell my mother but she was cut off.

There was a small smirk on my mother's lips as she said: "So Ashley, you're the bird, huh?"  
_  
_

* * *

_**El Fin**_


	11. Kiwi Goodness

**Kiwi Goodness**

I watch her walk the path to her building. The building where her class is. Her blonde hair shines brightly in the intense sun, and when she turns to wave at me, I wink at her. It makes her smile. That is why I do things.

That is the only reason I do things.

My time without her is kind of boring. Because I don't like being without her. I like being with her. My body feels better. My lips feel better. My heart feels better. But she likes to learn and I can't blame her. I can only love her. That is the only thing I can do well.

When she is at class, I go to a small café and drink a cup of coffee. Sometimes I sit outside at a table on the sidewalk and watch the people go past me. I like it better when she is sitting across from me. Because then all those people know she is with me. And not with them. That she chooses to sit here with me while I drink my coffee. She hates coffee. So she orders tea.

Then I go to the arcade across the street and play a game. That one with the claw. I try three or four times before I actually get something. Those games are difficult. So I keep going until I win something. It's a crappy stuffed elephant, but it will do. She loves elephants. I hold the small grey elephant in my hand tightly as I head back to the grass by her building.

I see students flow out of the doors and into the sunlight. I spot her talking to a friend, and she is laughing. Then she gives them a hug goodbye and spots me. Then she is smiling, really smiling. Her arms are immediately around my neck, her lips giving it a soft kiss. And by that I know she missed me just as much as I missed her. Even if it was for just fifty minutes.

_For you_ I say as I hand her the stuffed elephant. She smiles brightly at me, her blue eyes twinkling and says _You're so cute_. Because she knows this mushy side of me. No one else does and I don't want anyone else ever to know it. It is solely reserved for her. She hugs the animal to her chest and grabs my hand, leading me home.

When we enter our loft, I place my keys in the dish on the small table next to the door. I sit myself down on the couch and flip on the TV as she gets a snack from the fridge. My view is soon blocked as she plops herself down on my lap, quickly turning the TV off. She smiles mischievously at me and kisses my nose. And when her soft lips meet my own she tastes like kiwi. I love kiwi.

I smile into our kiss and she runs her hands through my hair. After I start to breathe more heavily, I gently pick her up and lay her down on the length of the couch with me above her. _I love you_ I tell her. I kiss her to prove my point. And she says it back and proves her point. She always does.

I stop kissing her for a moment to look into blue eyes I will forever want to look at. I smile stupidly and she just chuckles. Her hand comes up to trace my eyebrows, my nose, and down to my lips. I kiss her fingers.

And then I kiss the rest of her.

* * *

_This was inspired by the song _Thirteen_ by _Wilco_. I'm not sure why. Just was.  


* * *

_

**_El Fin_**


	12. Permanently

**Permanently**

Call it a sixth sense. Call it a feeling, intuition. Call it what you will.

I couldn't sleep. It had nothing to do with the fact that I was alone. Or the fact that I was feeling more empty than I had in a while. Spending my nights at Ego with Kyla and Aiden and a hundred random strangers might be able to do that.

No, I couldn't sleep because my stomach was tied in tight knot. I must have been tossing and turning for about two straight hours. It's not that I wasn't tired. I was, I could feel it in my body and in the way my eyelids were heavy like a ton of bricks. But sleep wouldn't come.

After who knows how much longer of this ridiculous non-sleeping state I was in, my cell phone lit up. It flashed for a second and then it stopped, like the caller changed their mind almost as soon as they dialed. I instantly grabbed the small device off my dresser and flipped it open to see who had been calling so late. Who had totally changed their mind.

_Carlins_ came up on the screen and I became confused. Why was the Carlin's home number calling me? Their house never called me and if it were Spencer she would have called from her cell phone. I stared at the bright screen for about a minute longer.

The uneasy feeling in my stomach came back ten-fold. What if something was wrong? But why, of all people, would Mr. or Mrs. Carlin call me? I felt useless just lying in my bed, so I stopped doing that.

My feet brought me out of bed, outside, into my car, and outside the Carlin's house. I parked outside and killed the engine, just looking at the house I was so familiar with. But hadn't been to in so long. I felt like a weirdo, just watching. All the lights were out, the whole house was dark. I'm not even sure why I was here. I just had…a feeling.

Taking the spare key that was hidden in the potted plant next to the door, I stepped as quietly as I could inside. This was creepy. No doubt. My eyes hadn't adjusted to the darkness yet, so I just kind of stood there, squinting. Then I heard very light sniffling coming from the dining room.

I walked in that direction. My heart was pounding violently in my rib cage.

"No, please, just go away." Spencer's voice said from the corner of the room. It was heavy with tears and cracked in the middle. That made me even more nervous. I grabbed an umbrella and swung it around in a circle.

"Spencer?" I whispered. If there was someone here I was going to slice their balls off, I swear.

"A-ashley?" She murmured.

"It's me Spence, what's going on, where are you?" I rushed out of my mouth. Nervous eyes finally adjusting, I spotted Spencer sitting on the ground in the corner. I threw the umbrella to the ground, and Spencer's flinch from the action didn't get passed me. I walked over to her quickly.

"What are you d-doing here?" She asked. Her knees were pulled up to her chin, arms around them, and face propped up on top. In the dark, I saw the glimmering of tears down her cheeks.

I knelt down in front of her. I wasn't sure if I should touch her or not. I wanted to, badly. But I wasn't sure if she wanted me to. "Your house kind of called me." I said gently.

Her eyes were down. She was shaking. I put my hand on her knee and rubbed it softly. "Hey." I whispered. "Spence, what's wrong."

Spencer just shook her head. I looked to my side and saw her cell phone in pieces scattered across the floor. Her house phone was right next to her. "Spencer, what happened to your phone."

She just shook her head again and tears started to stream more fluently down her gorgeous face. I started to breath erratically and just the sight of Spencer crying made some tears escape from my own eyes. I scooted closer to her, bringing my hand to cup her wet face. "It's okay." I cooed. "You're okay, I'm here, okay? You're okay."

I heard her hiccup, and Spencer finally looked up. She looked so sad that more tears made their burning path down my own face. I racked my brain, thinking if Spencer had told me over the phone earlier what she was doing tonight._ What was she doing, what was she doing._ Then I remembered. She was hanging out with Carmen.

Fucking Carmen.

"Did Carmen break your phone?"

Spencer nodded her head. "Yeah."

The only thing I knew to do was to take Spencer in my arms. So I did, although she was slow to let me. Once I gathered her in my lap, I gave her a soft kiss on the head. "Spencer, did Carmen hurt you?"

Spencer just buried her face in my shirt, her hands were gripped tightly around my neck. This was such a horrible circumstance but God, I missed her _so_ much. I felt so incomplete without her.

I sniffled a little bit by accident. "Please tell me, I want to make you okay, please."

I could feel her heavy breathing against me. "She just pushed me against the wall. But then she smashed my phone to the ground."

I clenched my teeth together. "She put her hands on you." I said, more to myself than to the girl trembling in my arms. I wanted to run out of that house and put my hands on Carmen, and not in a nice way. But I didn't. I didn't because Spencer was so much more important.

I brought my hand up to cradle the back of Spencer's head and run my fingers through her hair in what I hoped was a soothing way. I felt her relax into me and sigh. I don't know how long we sat there together, a while.

"You didn't have to come here." Spencer said softly into my neck. I felt her lips whispering across the skin. I felt tingles and butterflies. Giant, thrashing butterflies.

"I wanted to. I will _always_ be here for you Spencer, you have to understand that." I told her. I took her head out of my neck to kiss her cheek fondly. "I love you too much not to." I wasn't sure if that was too much. I kind of didn't care. I wanted her to know that she was safe with me now. That she always would be.

I felt Spencer's wet lips kiss my own cheek. "Thank you." She said against my tingling cheek.

I blinked. "Let me be here for you Spence. Let me keep you safe. Permanently."

Spencer locked her eyes on mine. She understood what I meant. My lips parted slightly when I felt her kiss the very corner of my mouth. Her nose traced the outline of my cheekbone. "Will you stay with me tonight? Permanently." I didn't have to look at her to know that, for the first time tonight, there was a smile on her face.

"Always."

And _always_ it would be.

* * *

_**El Fin**_


	13. Dreamgirl

_Bold italics are lyrics. POV changes sometimes after lyrics, but I think you can figure it out :) Song is Dreamgirl by Dave Matthews Band. _

* * *

**Dreamgirl**

_**I would dig a hole all the way to China unless of course I was there. Then I'd dig my way home. If by digging I could steal the wind from the sails of the greedy men who ruled the world.**_

"I miss you." I said into the phone quietly. I sat on our comfy leather couch in the middle of _our_ loft. It had already been four days and I wasn't sure how much more I could take.

"I miss you too baby." The husky voice from the other line replied. She sounded tired. Her voice was laced with sleep. I then heard a yawn. "I can't wait to see you, I'm going crazy without you."

I smiled even though she couldn't see it. Because it felt wonderfully nice to hear she was feeling exactly like me. We had been apart for longer periods of time, but for some reason, this felt the longest. I missed her cocky playfulness when I would get home. How she would jump out from behind a couch to scare me. Only to wrap me up in a large bear hug seconds after. My heart jumped at just the thought, wishing she was secretly home and going to surprise me.

"You're coming home soon, right?" I asked, even though I knew the answer. I knew she would be home tomorrow, but I needed to hear her say it.

"Yes ma'am, tomorrow. Unless, you know, I dig my way back to you before then. I might not make it." She followed her words with a husky chuckle. And although it was tired, I could still hear the love and almost truth in her statement.

"You, dig? You might ruin your nails." I commented, smiling to myself.

"I'd ruin my nails for _you_." She replied, and it was little comments like that that made me love her. They were simple, but simple was so incredibly sincere. "And don't hang out too much with Kyla and Aiden, it's not fair they're hogging you when I'm gone." She added seriously.

I smirked. I could basically see the seriousness on her face as she said it. Her chocolate brown eyes probably half-lidded and perfect eyebrows scrunched together. "I'll try." I replied.

_**Still you're my best friend and after a good, good drunk, you and me wake up and make love after a deep sleep where I was dreaming. I was dreaming of a Dreamgirl. **_

She had been home for twelve hours and we were all over each other. It also didn't help that we had already gone through two bottles of wine. It was my favorite time. Where we would just sit together. Be together. Just together. Together in a world where everything else just did not matter as much.

"What would I do without you?" She whispered huskily, and a little sloppily, due to the wine, into my ear. She was insanely close to me. Almost on top of me on the couch.

I shrugged, looking over her perfect tan skin, adorable nose (although if you said the word _adorable_, she'd say that only applied to me), and shiny brown eyes. "You'd be a mess."

A small smirk appeared on her lips right before they met mine slowly. Her mouth was warm and wet. Just the feel of it made me moan a little bit. "You're right about that."

I smiled wide and pulled her into me for more kisses. They never ended and I never wanted them to end. Soon after, we fell asleep on the couch, half dressed and half drunk.

The bright sun shone through the window right into my eyes. They fluttered open only to feel a slightly smaller body covering my own. Wavy brown curls covered her face and were stuck in her nose as she tried subconsciously to push them away.

"Hi." She smiled, her eyes still closed. But her head tilted up to me. When her eyes did open, they were squinting and groggy, like her voice.

"Morning." I said back, pushing some hair behind her ear.

"Mmm, you feel so good, I missed you so much." She said sleepily, burrowing her head further into my neck. She pushed blonde hair to uncover my neck as I felt her lips start to work on it. She was still on top of me, now her body was pressing into my own slightly harder.

I pushed my hand through messy but soft curls, urging her on. I don't think I ever needed to take drugs, because she was all I needed. Her soft lips traveled up and onto my own. She still tasted a little like the wine we had consumed last night, so I smiled into the kiss. Hands traveled down and up and all places and there was no resistance, just urging forward. Making love in the morning was something we both absolutely loved.

_**I was feeling like a creep as I watched you asleep face down in the grass in the park in the middle of a hot afternoon. Your top was untied and I thought how nice it'd be to follow the sweat down your spine.**_

I stretched my back and heard it crack as I sat on a blanket in the park. She was on her stomach next to me, blonde hair cascading down her shoulders. She had fallen asleep about five minutes ago and I smiled. I saw that her head was turned my way, eyes still closed. Though I knew the beautiful blue color that hid behind them.

My head was still fizzy from the wine we had drank last night after I had come home. I swear, if I could have flown that plane faster to get to her I would have. But I think they frown upon that.

My eyes traced her bare shoulders under the bikini top she had on. They went down to her back, smooth skin, and down long legs. It was hot out today, so bathing suits were the way to go. And of course I'd find any way to get her into a bikini. Her tall figure filled it out perfectly.

I laid down on my side and saw that the strings at the top of her bathing suit were untied. I felt my eyes go darker as I played with them. I hoped my slightly rough fingers from playing guitar didn't hurt her. She just always said it was sexy.

I saw one cerulean eye peep open to look over at me. "Undressing me in public?" She asked as I saw some white teeth flash playfully.

"Wouldn't be the first time." I replied lazily, drawing my fingers down her spine. An outward shiver took over her body and I grinned.

She moved her body over on the blanket so her head rested on my chest. Hands coming to rub my stomach, and I purred. She knew I loved that. I felt a soft kiss to my collarbone and warned her to be careful. I might just take her right in the middle of the park.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Like you could get away with that."

"Wanna bet?" I challenged, raising my eyebrows.

_**Caught by a wave my back to the ocean. It knocks me off my feet and just as I find my footing here you come again. Dreamgirl. **_

I ran through some of the small waves crashing on shore. It was about dusk, the sun setting. It looked so pretty that all I wanted to do was just watch it forever. I adjusted my bathing suit top, making sure it wasn't untying like it had earlier in the park.

I walked a little further into the ocean and looked to my side for her. I didn't see her. But all of a sudden I felt her from behind. She ran right up to me and knocked me off balance. _Almost_. Just as I was about to topple over into the water, arms circled my waist and steadied me.

"Gotcha." Her husky voice said in my ear, laced with laughter and love. I felt a kiss pressed to the spot behind my ear and I turned around in her embrace.

I smirked at her as I circled my arms around her neck. "I'll get you back."

Her eyebrow raised and her chocolate eyes shone playfully. "Get me back in a _dirty_ way?"

I laughed and nudged her shoulder lightly. "Maybe."

She pulled me closer to connect our lips. "I thought you wanted to watch the sunset?"

I pulled my face away from her just a small distance. I pushed a curl behind her ear and she gave me a wide, dimpled smile. "I like this view better."

* * *

_**El Fin**_


	14. Table 8 pt 1

_You recognize the effect and the fact  
That it's comin' when she rocks the boat.  
But it's the cause hittin' on the Cardinal Laws  
About the proper place to hang her coat._

_So to you, the truth is still hidden  
And the soul plays the role of a lost little kitten but  
You should know that the doctors weren't kiddin'.  
She's been singing it all along. _

**Table 8 (Part One)**

"This is what my life has boiled down to. Crab cakes."

"You mean, _fried _down to." My friend chuckles at her own joke while shaking her head.

I glare at her. "Madison. I'm having an epiphany here, don't be an ass."

"Chill girl. It's just a job. For money. And what do we like?"

I roll my eyes at the Latina with the tray of celery in her hands. "We like money." I mumble.

"Yes, money. It's money, so suck it up." She answers pointedly.

I play with the napkins on the edge of my platter that holds the crab cakes. I'm at work. If you call work catering to a bunch of prissy ass people. Serving them things like crab cakes and beer. Wiping up vomit that a drunk groomsman had spewed out of his mouth. Yes, work. It sucks but I need the money. Part of the charm of being a struggling college student.

"Spencer!" I hear my name screeched from the back of the kitchen. Madison has already walked out into the hall to serve the guests some appetizers. So I know the person calling my name is the head chef and my boss, Bob.

"Yes Bob?" I answer meekly.

"Get your pretty ass out there and serve these people."

"Okay." I say in a disgustingly nice tone. I give him a cheesy smile and head out into the open room.

Half an hour later I am sweating lightly. There is marinara sauce splattered down the front of my white collared shirts and some kind of potent alcohol making my black dress pants slightly damp. I come back into the kitchen with a scowl on my face and Madison is still laughing.

"Shut up." I sneer, putting the platter down and going to get a washcloth so I can attempt to clean up the mess that is myself.

"Sorry Spence, but when that old lady spilled the sauce." She laughs hard, doubling over.

"Do _you_ want crap spilled all over you?" I ask, holding up a bottle of mustard.

She shakes her head nervously. "No, sorry. Okay, well at least they're all going to sit and dance and drink now. No one will even be eating."

"Great, so we're going to serve dinner for no reason."

"Dinner is never served for no reason!" I hear Bob yell from the back. He is currently preparing the entrées.

Madison rolls her eyes. "Sorry Bobby boy!" She yells back flirtaciously.

Madison always engages in this sickeningly flirty banter with our boss. I'm sure he only hired her because he thought she was hot. And when I asked for a job, I came in for an interview. Bob took one look at me and hired me. I wasn't sure to be pleased or totally creeped out.

"Carlin, go take this plate to the photographer. It's just a bunch of left over appetizers."

I take the plate and glare over at Madison who is secretly sipping some wine. Making my way through the hall and dance floor, I see typical wedding bullshit. People are already starting to dance and people are already quite obviously drunk. I mean, if I was at a wedding I would probably start drinking as well. There are groomsmen hitting on bridesmaid in a grossly sexual way. The bride's grandmother is sleeping in a corner. And the kids are just running around and one almost trips me. I stop the temptation to kick the boy.

Kids are cute, sure. But they're so incredibly obnoxious.

When I get to the bar, finally, all I see are people surrounding it. Sandy, the main bartender, gives me a wink as she pours a beer for some guy. She might be the only person I like here besides Madison. She hates doing this as much as I do. And although she is slightly older, she is very pretty. We always have fun making fun of the guests and parties that come through the catering hall.

I don't see the photographer. No weirdo guy with a mullet or large glasses or anything. I don't even see the wedding planner lady so I can ask her where the photographer is.

So far I've walked around in some circles looking. Then I see a camera on a table in the back of the bar. Well, that must be the phototgrapher.

_You are such a Sherlock Holmes_ I think to myself. I roll my eyes at my stupidity, something I often do. I walk over in that direction and see that the photographer is in fact, not a guy. It's a girl with her head down. She's scribbling on a bar napkin.

When I get over to her, I clear my throat in a way to say _Hey, I'm too awkward to speak to you so please look at me_. The girl pulls her head up and meets my eyes. Her mouth turns in a smile and at the same time I notice that she is younger than I thought she would be. And, well, she's kind of really gorgeous.

Her bangs, and only her bangs, are dyed a shade of blonde while the rest of her hair is laying on her shoulders in brown curls. Her eyes that match her hair probe mine.

"Um, the chef, Bob, told me to bring this to you, if you were hungry." I tell her, setting the plate down a safe distance from her camera. I can't tell you how many times I have knocked shit over. People's drinks. People's dinner. People's babies.

"Thanks." She says, her voice a bit husker than I imagined it would be.

"You are the photographer, right?" I ask dumbly and then I frown.

Thankfully, the girl just chuckles. She holds up her camera and starts to inspect it curiously. "Oh, is that what this is for?"

I smile and laugh, trying to make myself not sound as awkward as I really am. "Right. Well, if you need anything else, just, lemme know."

Her eyes flicker down me and then meet back to mine. I will admit her devilish smile is a bit intimidating. "Definitely."

I turn around and walk back through the hall and into the back where Madison is sitting on a step ladder, texting.

"Do you ever do anything here besides drink and text?" I ask Madison roughly while I get some salt and pepper for Table 8. Table 8 is my worst nightmare and I not so secretly thought about dropping water all over their laps. They're constantly asking me for stuff; more beer, more salt, more bread, more napkins, more everything. I know I know, it's my job. But still. Give a girl a break, please.

"Yes, I flirt to get tips as well." The Latina answers seriously, still typing away on her cell phone.

"Nice."

"Just be nice to the old guys, they'll tip you well."

I roll my eyes

"So, did you find the photographer?" She asks me, finally putting her phone back in her pocket and looking up at me.

I nod. "Yeah, she was in the back of the bar. She was, interesting." I must smile because I see Madison smirk and stand up.

She doesn't say anything, but we've been friends and roommates long enough for her to know my subtleties. I've never said outright that my preference includes girl and not just boys. And she's never asked me outright what's up. But the past has proven a bit hinting to it. Like when I flirted with the girl at the coffee shop. Or when I resisted when some popular jock tried to lodge his tongue in my throat at a party one time.

"Is she young?"

"Yeah." I say absentmindedly. "Probably early twenties, our age. I was surprised. She must be pretty good to photograph a wedding then, right? I mean, usually people have more experienced people to-"

"Spencer, I love you but not your rambling." Madison cuts me off and pats my shoulder.

"Hey." I hear a voice say and look over to where the back door is cracked open. The photographer girl is standing there and I just look at her. "Spencer, right? Table 8 was asking for you."

I nod but frown. Damn you Table 8, I said I would be right there. "Okay, thanks."

I think she winks at me right before she leaves.

"Oh shit son. She's hot." Madison whistles with a sly smile on her face. I just look at her. "What? I appreciate. I did hook-"

"Up with that girl that one time a while ago, yes. You told me _all_ about it." I finish for her.

"Right, well. Look, how about I go bring those bitches at Table 8 their shit and you go, I don't know, go ask the photographer if she needs anything. Like your phone number."

"Oh ha ha." I mock and hand her the tray I am holding.

"Just throwing it out there sweetie." She says and laughs as she exits the back room.

I follow her out a few minutes later. I see Madison standing at Table 8, leaning over so some guy has a good look at her cleavage. He's smiling grossly and I roll my eyes. I see the photographer girl snapping some pictures of people dancing. Of the bride and groom in a loving embrace by their table. I head into the bar.

"Hey Sandy." I smile as I sit down on a bar stool. The bar is pretty empty. It looks like everyone has joined the party inside.

"Spence, my girl. How's it going? Getting any trouble?"

I shrug. "Just from one table. But otherwise it's going pretty well. How 'bout you?"

Sandy assembles me a glass of soda and slides it to me across the bar. "Not bad. They're good tippers. Lots of drunk people. Same as always."

I tap my fingers on the bar as I sip my soda. Sandy smiles at me before she goes to the other side of the bar to fix a drink for some girl dressed scandalously.

"Shouldn't you be working?" A husky voice asks me as the figure takes a seat next to me on a stool.

I look into chocolate eyes over the top of my glass. "Oh, well, shouldn't you?"

_Smooth Spencer. Smooth._

She grins wide. It's very cute and adorable. But mostly sexy as hell. "Oh, I am. Just taking a break. There's only so many pictures you can take of drunk dancing assholes." I chuckle. "But don't tell anyone I said that." She whispers close to my ear. I feel a shiver run through my body.

"I was actually going to ask you if you needed anything."

She shakes her head and pushes some curls behind her ear. "I'm good for now."

I nod and get up off the stool, leaning over the bar to put my glass in the sink. When I stand up straight again, I see the curly-haired girl's eyes snap back to my own. "Um, I'm sorry, I didn't get your name…"

"Ashley, Ashley Davies." She holds out her hand to shake mine. And when I do I feel how soft it is. She holds on to it for three seconds longer than necessary before she lets go with a tilted smile.

"Nice t-to meet you." I stutter out. I roll my eyes to myself again.

"You're cute, waitress Spencer. Were you aware?" Ashley the photographer says with a confident smile.

I feel my whole face turn red. "Um, not really. N-no."

"Well now you know." She answers with a husky laugh.

"Carlin." Madison interrupts my staring contest with this hot and confident girl. "Table 8 is looking for you. Hi, I'm Madison." She turns to Ashley after telling me the table from hell wants more from me.

"Ashley Davies. Spencer Carlin, huh?" Brown eyes look me down then back up. "Cute."

"Her name of her?" Madison cocks her eyebrow at Ashley the photographer.

"Both." She answers with a shrug.

"Um." I close my eyes and open them to try and regain some sort of awareness and sense compared to the mush I was quickly turning into. As well as the babbling idiot. "I have to go."

Ashley just smiles at me and turns back to face the bar. I walk over to Table 8 feeling all fluttery and jittery. "Can I get you some-"

But I am interrupted by Bob striding up to me. "Carlin. I need you and Madison to bring out the salad." He looks at me all squinty eyed. "_Now._"

"Alright." I sigh, giving the table a tight-lipped smile before I walk away.

When I get in the back, I see Madison with a cart of salad ready to hand out to the tables. "She thinks you're cuuuuute." She sings lowly as I help her push the cart out.

"And?"

Madison rolls her eyes. "Did you not see her being all flirty and all hot?"

"I saw." I murmur as I put a plate of salad in front of some drunken idiot who might or might not have just grabbed my ass. "What do you want me to do about it?"

"Let's not lie to ourselves, Spencer. You're obviously hot for her. The _hers_ in general. Give her your number." She says, basically throwing a plate in front of a woman who gives her a nasty glare.

"Oh, okay. I'll just waltz over and slip her a note all seductively. Then I'll wink at her and walk away while shaking my ass a little." I roll my eyes. "Like I could ever pull that off."

Madison scoffs. "You're attractive Spencer, get it in your peanut sized brain. And I didn't say to be a _hoe_, just talk to her. Maybe she'll give you her card."

"Right, so I can call her to take pictures of me." I spit out roughly.

Madison smirks. "_Now_ you're talking."

I glare at her as discreetly as I can, as to not upset the small child I am giving a salad to. He probably won't even eat it. What a waste of my life. "Shut up. I'm not in the mood."

"I highly doubt that." Madison mumbles just loud enough for me to hear her.

When we get back into the kitchen, Bob is standing right there with his hands on his hips like an angry mother.

"Did you see that hot guy at Table 3? My God." Madison says, disregarding the fact that Bob is standing right there. She goes to get herself a bowl of the salad we just served. One of the perks of this job is that we get to eat whatever food is not served. And Bob is s douchebag to the extreme, but he is a talented and revered chef.

"Did you talk to him?"

Madison shrugs. "I think he was with his girlfriend."

I snort. "Like that's ever stopped you before."

Madison considers this thoughtfully. "True. True." She makes up another bowl of salad and hands it to me.

"I'm not hungry." I say sullenly and sit down on the step stool.

"No fool, go bring it to your photographer girlfriend."

I glare at her but take the bowl into the bar anyway.

"Wow, you're just catering to my needs, aren't you, waitress Spencer." Ashley says with a smile as I set the bowl down in front of her.

I shrug. "Thought you might be hungry, watching all these people eat and stuff."

"Thanks, I appreciate it. Usually at these types of things I have to beg the chef to feed me." She happily brings her fork to the salad and starts to eat it. She makes a content humming sound and my eyes wash over her features. Her perfect nose, cute ears, pretty smile.

"Do you, take photographs for a lot of things like this?"

"Yeah, I mean, it pays the rent, right? Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries. But I'm actually trying to put together some pictures for a gallery."

My interest in her peaks at a higher level. "Really? That's pretty cool."

She swallows some salad and looks up at me. "So is being a caterer your dream in life?" She asks playfully. Her eyes shine and I know she's flirting with me, if not then just being very friendly. I blush for no reason and duck my head.

"Not really. I just need the money, I'm going to college for Journalism actually." I tell her, feeling more comfortable. I like how easy to talk to she is. And how nice to look at she is helps a lot too.

"Smart girl." She winks at me. "Beauty and brains, you got anything else?" If I'm wrong correct me, but her voice just sounded a bit seductive and raspier.

"Maybe." Is all I am able to say. I want to ask her how old she is, but I don't want to seem nosy. She can't be older than twenty-four.

"Senior?" She guesses, sipping a drink. I nod at her correct guess. "Well, I have to get back to work, but if you get bored, come find me."

"Definitely." I tell her with a smile.

It is two hours later. Madison and I have successfully served and cleaned up dinner without dropping any of it on anyone. Table 8 has continued to be on my shit list. That is why I have been avoiding them. I was doing well up until one obnoxious woman came over to me and told me to clean up the pitcher of soda they spilled all over the table. Madison has probably made a hundred dollars in tips by now and I am so thankful she shares them with me. I haven't talked to Ashley anymore, but every time I see her in the hall she just winks at me. I, in turn, try not to smile like a buffoon and keep doing what I'm doing without staring at her ass too much.

At the moment, I am on a short break and in the very small, cramped coatroom looking in my coat for the gum I _know_ I left in the pocket. The door suddenly opens and a body walks into me by accident. Thankfully, I don't fall over because of all the coats lining the walls.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry." A husky voice apologizes. Then Ashley smiles when she sees it is me. Her eyes look right into mine. "My apologies, Spencer Carlin."

I just look at her and realize this is the closest we have been since I met her. I take the time to notice how incredibly delicious she smells. To notice how my body is tingling from such short but close contact. I want to touch her in some way.

The room is very small, so there is no way to move around her unless she leaves and I follow.

"Oh, it's okay." I say shakily. "I was just looking for my gum, I think I left it in my coat, but I can't find it." I end my rambling before I embarrass myself even further.

"I'm sure your breath smells great." She says gently, something in her eyes. Because I am so close, I can see the golden honey specks swirling around the brown color.

I don't usually do this. Hang out in cramped coat closets with hot older girls. But I think, maybe I could get used to it.

"I guess." I mumble.

"So, looks like I finally got you into my room." She says seriously, but with a playful smile.

I look at her. "Your room is a coat closet?" I ask stupidly before thinking.

She chuckles huskily and it makes my body react. "You are too cute." This is whispered in my ear, and I feel lips on the shell of it. The lips that are making it hard for me to breathe have now moved to my very hot cheek.

"Here's my card. Maybe you could serve me salad again sometime." She whispers into my cheek right before she kisses it delicately. I have never heard someone make salad sound so unbelievably sexy. Her hand slides the card in question into the back pocket of my black pants. She's careful not to touch my ass, even though I am internally begging her to do it anyway.

Then she's gone.

I exit the coat closet and close the door behind me. Resting my back against it, I take a moment to compose myself. To try and make myself cool off and not be basically as hot as burning coals. I touch the card in my pocket and smile.

Bob appears and meets my eyes with an angry glare. "Table 8 is asking for you."

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	15. Table 8 pt 2

_If you think that a kiss is all in the lips  
C'mon, you it it all wrong man.  
And if you think that our dance was all in the hips,  
Oh well, then do the twist.  
If you think holding hands is all in the fingers  
Grab hold of the soul where the memory lingers. _

**Table 8 (Part Two)**

"What's up sweet cheeks?"

I turn my head to look at Madison weirdly. "Don't."

"Yeah, I wasn't feelin' it either." She says seriously.

It had been four days since Madison and I catered that wedding. Four days since that totally hot and sexy brunette photographer slipped me her card and dazzled me out of the few wits I actually had left. I hadn't called her yet because I was too nervous. What would I say? _Hi, um, wanna g-go out with me? Because you are extremely sexy._ Yes, that would work wonders. I also hadn't told Madison what had happened in the coatroom yet. It slipped my mind.

Lie.

Of course it hadn't slipped my mind. It was basically all I thought about.

"Too bad you never got that photographer's phone number." She muses as she flips through a magazine. "What was her name, Ashley?"

"Oh yeah, Ashley." I say quietly. "Actually-"

"Yeah, I know, you got her card." Madison says, giving me an evil glare.

"How'd you know?" I ask her.

"That card has been sitting on your dresser for the last four days Spence."

"What were you doing looking on my dresser?" I put my hands on my hips and cock my eyebrow at her. It's not like I'm actually mad. We're roommates and practically go into each others rooms all the time.

"I needed five bucks okay. So, are you gunna call her?" Madison says quickly.

I shrug. "I was thinking about it. I mean, what should I say?" I take a seat next to her on the couch.

"Just, call and say hi. You've been really busy lately, but you'd love to get together sometime." She says as I stare blankly at her. "Can you handle that?"

"Can you help me?" I ask weakly.

Madison shakes her head. "God Spence. I swear, if you weren't so cute you would _so _be out of luck."

I jump up and smile. "Thank you, thank you." I run to get my cell phone and Ashley Davies' card and situate myself back on the couch facing Madison. I just hold the two important things in my hand.

"You can start by dialing the number." Madison says, rolling her eyes.

"Right. Good." I say. I fumble with my cell phone and try to get my hands to stop shaking. When I kind of do, I dial the numbers and wait. The phone rings three times before it is answered. And I know it's her by her husky voice. I get frazzled by her just saying her own name.

"Ashley Davies."

"Um, hi, Ashley. I don't know if you remember me, but I'm Spencer Carlin, from-"

Ashley interrupts me and I hear the smile in her voice. "The wedding. Waitress Spencer, I was wondering when you might call."

_I've been busy. How are you? _Madison mouths to me.

"Yeah." I chuckle a little bit but then kind of cough on the spit that has formed in my mouth. "I've been pretty busy. How are you?"

"Better now." She says, and I think her voice got deeper. I widen my eyes at Madison and she just rolls hers. "How are you?"

_I'm good, but I'd be better if I could get into your pants like I so desperately want to_. Madison mouths and I start to say that but then stop and glare at her, hard.

"I'm good. Um, I was wondering if you wanted to get together sometime?" I say tentatively, glancing at Madison. She gives me two thumbs up.

"That sounds great cutie. How 'bout you meet me at the park on Main Street tomorrow night. Seven o'clock?" Her voice flows smoothly and there is not one crack in it. It's kind of mesmerizing, and of course incredibly sexy. I bet phone sex with this girl would be _awesome. _

Oh my God. Did I just think about having phone sex with a girl I haven't even gone out with yet while I'm still on the phone with her?

"That sounds perfect." I say as evenly as I can. I close my eyes, even though that will not make the blush on my face disappear. Ashley can't even see it though. So it doesn't matter.

"Awesome. See you then Spencer Carlin." Ashley says happily and then the phone hangs up.

"Yeah." I croak out even though the line is dead. I shut my cell phone slowly.

"So?" Madison asks.

"We're going out tomorrow night."

"What would you do without me, Spence?" Madison says with a laugh.

"Probably be a normal person." I retort.

"Perhaps, sweet cheeks. Perhaps."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It is a half an hour before I am supposed to meet Ashley and I am flipping out. I've changed my outfit so many different times, the whole contents of my small closet are on my bed. I don't even know if this is a date. Is it? It feels like it. Well, I feel like it. All the nervousness and giddiness and excitement. We're _getting together_. What does that mean. Would I be kind of a hoe if I slept with her on the first date?

These are the things running through my mind at the moment.

"So." Madison says as she appears in m doorway. "Should I be gone, you know, if you two come back here?"

I turn to face her and scrunch my eyebrows together. "I, I don't know. No, I don't think so."

Madison shrugs. "I think you might be giving too much away on the first date." She must be commenting about how I only have jeans and a bra on.

"I don't know what shirt to wear!" I yell out in frustration. I pull at my hair and Madison comes to my side.

"Okay, okay. Chill out. I'll help you. Jesus, you must really like this chick, you've never been like this before." Madison says seriously as she digs through the clothes on my bed. I sit down, clearing a space for my ass.

"I know. I do. I'm just nervous."

"Don't be. She obviously really likes you. Or she just wants to screw you."

I sigh. "Thanks Madison."

"Here, wear this. It brings out those baby blues." She throws me a blue long-sleeved shirt. "And wear that cute, light jacket you have. You'll look great."

"Thanks." I breathe as I pull on the shirt. I grab the jacket and get my purse together.

"Now go, you're gunna be late. Don't be nervous, Spence. You'll be fine. Good luck." Madison says with a smile as she kisses my cheek and pushes me out the door.

When I get to the park, I am right on time. I sit on a bench right by the gates and wait. It's a gorgeous night out. The sky is all pink, the sun not totally set yet. I'm glad it's not too chilly. I wait about ten minutes and that's when I see Ashley walking swiftly to where I'm sitting. When she sees me, she grins wide.

As she gets closer, I can't help notice how gorgeous she looks. Her grey pants are tight, and her black vest makes her look so sexy, as do the necklaces she has trailing down her neck and chest.

"I'm so sorry I'm late, Spencer. I had this client and he just wouldn't leave." She says apologetically as she gives me a warm hug. I smell her. And I smile.

"That's alright. You might have to make it up to me, though." I give her a playful smile.

Her eyebrow rises. "I can do that." I nod. And just stare at her, trying not to check her out too intently. "Alright, come on. I wanna do something." Ashley says excitedly as she grabs my hand and leads me into the park.

I like her hand in mine. It feels warm and most of all she makes me feel really safe and tingly. Two things that, in my experience, are quite hard to find. Yes, I will be planning our wedding shortly.

We stop in the middle of a grassy area, with some trees and benches around. The sun is setting, so the sky is an intense shade of orange, yellow, and pink all mixed together. We're kind of on a hill, too, so it makes it even more beautiful.

"Okay." Ashley says, as she turns around to face me with a smile on her face. "It's like, a really beautiful night out. And you're gorgeous Spencer. And you look especially cute tonight."

I blush severely. "I think anything is better than that white shirt and black pants with stains on them."

Ashley chuckles and shakes her head. "Maybe, but still." She pushes a piece of blonde hair behind my ear gently. Her finger skims my skin for a second and I erupt into goosebumps. "So remember I told you about how I'm trying to put a collection together?"

"Yeah." I nod, looking at her curiously.

"Well, it's kind of got this sunset theme to it. And I've been trying to complete it, but I haven't found anything worth shooting."

"Oh." Is all I say.

Ashley smiles. "Until now. You want to? You don't have to, I just, I think you would be perfect." She says nervously. This is the first time I've heard her be anything but confident. It's adorable. Absolutely adorable.

"I would love to help you." I say quietly and give her a smile.

"Awesome." She looks like a giddy little kid and I can't help but laugh. She hits my shoulder playfully. "Don't laugh at me." She chuckles. "Okay, you don't even have to do anything, just sit."

"I can sit!" I say with a smile. Maybe a little too excitedly. I'm feeling more at ease.

Ashley chuckles as she gets her camera out of her bag. "You're adorable. Okay, go sit in the middle of the grass, you goofy girl."

I laugh and walk past a few trees and benches and take a seat in the grass. I face her and look up into the very pretty sky, but then focus my attention back to the very pretty girl just a few feet away from me.

Ashley was right, I didn't have to do anything. I just sat there and she snapped a few pictures of me. I never thought myself photogenic, but she assured me I look extremely pretty with the sun behind me. I stretch my legs out in front of me and look up into the sky. I sneeze once and Ashley laughs at me before saying _Bless you_.

There is one instance where Ashley starts to walk away from me, and I get nervous. But then I hear her laughing hard and I know she's just joking.

"Hey!" I yell, laughing as I get up to chase after her.

She moves a bit faster away from me, still laughing.

"I'm kidding, kidding." She laughs as I shove her shoulder with mine.

"Not funny Ashley." I smile slyly at her and go back to my spot in the grass.

When she has taken a couple more pictures, the sun is set and the lamp posts are providing us a yellowish light. Ashley walks over to me and snaps a quick picture of my face before she kneels on her knees in the space between my legs. She's not touching me, but she's close.

"Hey, I never said you could take a picture of my face." I laugh.

"But what am I going to start my Spencer Carlin shrine with?" She asks seriously.

"Shut up." I chuckle. "You better be kidding, or I'm leaving right now."

"Well, I'm definitely kidding." She answers softly. Her eyes flick down to her camera and she looks at it for a moment. "You wanna see?"

I nod and lean towards her as she shifts to my side so I can see the camera. Every picture is perfectly taken. I'm no photography expert, but I could never take pictures like those. Some of them even have different coloring. More intricate things than just _Sepia_.

"Wow." I breathe out as she clicks her camera off and places it to her side. "Those are really amazing Ashley."

She just shrugs. "I had a good subject. A gorgeous subject actually."

I blush and thank the darkness for covering most of it. "Well, it was hard to concentrate with such a pretty girl taking pictures of me." I commend myself for my compliment but still duck my head.

"Thanks." She says shyly. It makes me smile at her. "And you're very photogenic. Except maybe for that one I got of you sneezing."

"You did not." I deadpan.

"Oh, it's going in my private collection."

I hit her arm lightly and laugh. "Don't you dare."

Ashley chuckles lightly and her eyes meet mine. They kind of glow in the dim light outside. Her hand comes up to play with the collar of my jacket. Even though her fingers aren't on my skin, I can basically feel them touching the collar. Feel her pretty eyes looking right into mine. Feel the heat from her body traveling to my own.

She pulls on the collar gently to bring my face a bit closer to her own. "Don't worry, you look beautiful in all of them." She whispers quietly.

I can't help that my eyes travel down to her lips. Lips that are pink and look incredibly soft and wet. "Sweet talker." I mumble.

Part of her hand touches the skin on my neck lightly and she pulls me just a fraction closer. I can feel her breathe and see her eyelashes.

"Is it working?" She asks in a raspier voice.

"Maybe." I murmur right before she tugs the collar of my jacket to her so that our lips finally connect in a sweet and sensual kiss. Probably the best first kiss I have ever experienced.

Her hand slides to the back of my neck and plays with the hair there. It makes me tingle and hold back a moan. I steady myself by placing a hand on her thigh. I feel her teeth bite my bottom lip gently before smoothing her tongue over it. When I let her in, I her a slight moan come out of her mouth. It's one of the best sounds I have ever had the pleasure of hearing. It makes my whole body light on fire.

Her hand brings me impossibly closer to her. My other hand grabs a bunch of her vest as I continue to lose my breath over her talented mouth.

Before pulling away, Ashley gives me a soft kiss on the side of my mouth.

"Wow." She breathes. Her eyes are still closed. "You are addicting."

"I could say the same for you." I smile, finally seeing her eyes open.

"Mmm." She puts her nose against my cheek and nuzzles it sweetly. I feel a feather-like kiss given to my probably flushed cheek. "We should probably go to dinner."

"I guess." I say, feeling like I could just sit in this park with her for the whole night.

"Come on." She gets up from the grass and reaches her hand out to me. "The park is dangerous at night. I'll protect you, though." She gives me a cheeky smile.

I just shake my head and laugh. "Confident, are we?"

"Well duh. Haven't you noticed?" She says seriously. I just take her soft hand in mine as we walk out of the park.

We make it through a successful dinner. I blubber and stutter only a minimal amount and manage to make Ashley laugh. It might be _at_ me, but still. That counts for something. Ashley is charming and sweet and everything I already knew she was. She's playfully cocky and I love it. She's also incredibly smart, besides form being talented and totally gorgeous. Through a game we played called _Love It of Hate It_, we find out that we both love _Friends, Brand New, George Clooney, Spiermint gum, _and _oranges._ We also find out we both hate _Table 8 _(which she only agreed to hate after I forced her to)_, peanut butter, spiders, Bon Jovi_, and _aliens_.

Even though I struggle to pay, Ashley still insists. Right now, we are in her apartment. She has told me, fortunately, that her roommates are not home. One is with her parents and the other is somewhere like, Thailand or Guam, I think she said.

"How do you not like _Family Feud_?" I ask Ashley as we sit down on her couch. She hands me a drink and I smile as a thank you.

"I don't know. They're just so stupid."

"They're under pressure!" I chuckle and give her a look.

"I'm just saying, I would be _way_ better on that show. And plus, how can you hate _Cher_? You can't hate her, it's like illegal."

I shrug. "She's annoying. _Do you believe in life after love?_ That just doesn't make sense."

Ashley laughs in a husky tone that almost makes my eyes glaze over. "Come'ere."

I shift over a little bit to her until she reaches her hand to pull on my shirt. Her nose comes again to my cheek to nuzzle it like she did in the park. It sends electricity throughout my body. "Ashley." I whimper just a little bit. And then I feel her lips come softly on mine. Her hand rubs my side while I put my arms around her neck and pull her closer.

Our kiss gets heated quickly and somehow she fandangles us smoothly so that she is hovering over me while my back is pressed into the soft cushions of her couch. And I am quite sure I have never been so turned on in my entire life.

Her magical lips move to kiss my neck. Kiss it, nip it, lick it lightly. A strangled moan makes its way out of my mouth. Her hands are under my shirt, rubbing my stomach softly. And when I lift up my hips to meet hers she groans into the flesh of my neck.

I cannot get enough of her. She tastes amazing. She smells amazing. She looks amazing. And she is just amazing in general.

Our couch make-out session gets extremely heavy until she surprisingly starts to become gentler and slow down. I was actually just about to do that too. I really like her, and I didn't want to sleep with her yet. Well, that's a lie. But I restrain myself.

"I, God I-" Ashley says into my neck. But she doesn't say anything else and she's breathing quite heavily.

"I know." I say softly as I thread my fingers through her curls. I rub her head lightly and she rests her chin on my chest.

"Mmm." She makes a sound and her eyes are just half-lidded. I meet her dark brown eyes with my own and smile at her. "God, you feel so good. " My heart goes to mush at her words and I am sure there is a goofy smile on my face. She lifts her head up slightly to see me better. "Can I walk you home?"

"Definitely." I tell her. I really don't want to leave her, but I know it's probably for the best that I do.

"Can I see you again?" Ashley asks softly me when we get to my door.

I smile wide at her. "Yeah, I would like that."

She nods. "Good." Her arms wrap me up in a hug and it makes me feel warm and happy. She gives my cheek a kiss and then my lips an even sweeter kiss before she leaves. Before she goes around the corner she winks at me.

I wave my hand and smile at the girl who is already stealing my heart.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	16. Table 8 pt 3

_Well, everybody's reaction is changing you.  
But their love is only a fraction of what I can give to you,  
So let's do it, just get on a plane and just do it.  
Like the birds and the bees and get to it.  
Just get out of town and forever be free.  
Forever, I wonder we could stay together.  
It could change if you want for the better.  
Just turn down my shirt and lay down next to me. _

**Table 8 (Part Three)**

It's two weeks later and I'm back at work in the catering hall. This time, it's an anniversary party. It's all mushy and all corny. Table 8 must be cursed because, again, they are the lone table giving me all sorts of problems. The table is filled with a bunch of obnoxious younger kids, probably aging from ages twelve to sixteen. I've already been hit on by one boy and already yelled at by another spoiled little bitch.

My night is not going well. Madison's night is not going well either. She's got the brunt of the problems, actually. She must have drunk too much wine or something because she's spilling things left and right.

It's two weeks later and Ashley and I have been dating for those two weeks. I've seen her about every other day. Except for a span of four days where I didn't see her at all. I felt like complete psycho already, we weren't even _official _and I was already yearning for her. I don't know what we are right now. We're "dating." Whatever that entails.

If it entails dinner, hand-holding, long steamy make-out sessions, and just a few sleepovers, then yes. We're "dating." We're not officially together, so I felt no large amount of guilt when I accepted a date offer from a very good-looking guy I met at _Starbucks_ one week ago. We went out once. And although I didn't feel much guilt, I definitely felt boredom. All I thought about the whole time was Ashley. How I wanted to hang out with her instead. Hold her hand instead. Kiss her goodnight instead.

Needless to say, I ignored his phone calls after that night. I let my mind and heart wander in Ashley's direction instead.

"Table 8 needs more soda." Bob yells at me from the back of the kitchen.

I grunt angrily and make my way over to the bar. As I walk through the hall, the couple being anniversified is dancing to a lovely slow song.

"More soda?" Sandy says to me as I fill up a pitcher with Coke. "Those kids are gunna have serious heart problems if not a large sugar crash."

I nod my head. "I know, they're already jumping out of their seats."

"This is bullshit." Madison exclaims angrily as she comes to meet me behind the bar. Her face is all scrunched and her hands are in tight fists at her side. "I talked to the brother for five minutes and no tip, not even a _you're doing a great job_."

I have been texting Ashley all night. It makes everything run more smoothly for me. Actually, I have been texting Ashley for two weeks straight. The days we didn't see each other, we texted each other throughout the day. It doesn't matter if she says _hey_ or_ wish I was with you_ or _you suck_, they all make me grin like an idiot for long amounts of time. And when she says things like _there's no one in the studio, get your cute ass over here_ and _I can't work because I keep thinking about you_, well, then, I just go into cardiac arrest from happiness.

"Stop texting your girl, Spencer." Madison says angrily, throwing me a glare from over her shoulder.

"Oh, Spence's got a girl, huh?" Sandy says with a wry smile.

"She's obsessed, Sandy. If she's not talking about her, she's texting her, if she's not kissing her, she's fu-"

"Alright enough." I interrupt roughly with red cheeks.

Sandy chuckles and sends me a playful smile. "Who's the girl?"

Madison talks before I can answer the question. "The photographer from that wedding, remember?"

Sandy laughs. "Wow, nice Carlin."

I roll my eyes. "Yes, well." Is all I say before I pretend to storm off angrily to go give fucking Table 8 full of devil kids their soda. But really my back is turned to Madison and Sandy and I'm smiling, trying to make it go away. Although that's difficult because I've been smiling for about two weeks nonstop.

The rest of my night is shitty. We get like no tips and although I turn him down multiple times, the guy at Table 8 continues to hit on me and ask for my number. I "accidentally" knock over a cup of soda on his pants. He asks me out one more time as the party is ending, and because I'm on my last nerve, tired, dirty, and annoyed, I blurt out "I'm gay, leave me alone." What was I thinking? This is a teenage boy and all he says is "that's pretty hot, I can work with that."

"Well that blew." Madison mumbles as she drives us home after work.

I nod my head. "Seriously. Why was that one lady touching your ass?"

"Oh, we were talking about butt crunches." She answers seriously, like it's not weird at all.

"Right."

When Madison and I drag our feet up the stairs to our apartment door, I am surprised and delighted to find Ashley sitting in front of it. When she sees us she jumps up to her feet excitedly.

"Hey." I smile. "What are you doing here?" Not that I don't want her here. Just seeing her makes my night infinitely better.

Ashley shrugs. "It sounded like your night sucked, I came to make it better." She says with a sly grin.

"It did, Table 8 continues to want to kill me."

"Well." Ashley says, taking a step closer to me and talking in a husky voice. "I'm sure Table 6 and Table 9 can make it better."

"Ew, Ashley, please." Madison says, and I totally forgot she is standing right in the doorway. Apparently, so did Ashley. Because I'm blushing but Ashley is a violent shade of red.

"Sorry, Madison." She mumbles, ducking her head.

I had Ashley meet Madison and it was like bringing a girlfriend home to meet your parents. She interrogated her for an hour straight. After Madison asked her what her intentions were and Ashley jokingly said "to get in her pants" things went downhill. Fortunately, Madison ended up liking Ashley, but I think it scarred the curly-haired photographer and she has been jumpy around my best friend for a while.

Madison goes inside shaking her head.

"I brought this for you." Ashley smiles wide and brings out a flower from behind her back. Then her arms come to hug me and I could just fall asleep right there.

"Aww, thanks. You picked that out of the flower-pot downstairs, didn't you?" I murmur into her soft neck.

I feel Ashley nod and giggle. "The trouble I go through for you, Spencer."

I bring my head out of her neck to have her lips meet mine. They are ready and I feel her sigh into the soft kiss. Then I feel warm hands go up my shirt in the back and I arch into her body. Which feels fantastic, by the way. Some Roman God must have created this girls body to show off his power, I swear.

"My clothes are sticky." I moan out as Ashley's lips say hello to my neck.

She immediately hoists me up on her so my legs go around her waist, arms around her neck. "Let's get you out of them, then." She whispers in my ear. Her voice is low and raspy and it makes me kiss her roughly as I slide my hands in her hair to pull her face closer.

Ashley kicks the door closed as she carries me into my room.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I groan to myself as my eyelids flutter open. All I see is flawless tan skin. Which makes me realize I am lying on top of Ashley, who is snoring slightly. I almost laugh out loud when I realize her hands are on my ass and mine are up her tank-top. But I just chuckle softly to myself and rest my face back in her neck where I found it.

After a few minutes, I feel the hands on my ass move and I can't help but moan into her neck. When I lift my head, I am met with large, pretty brown eyes that are hazy with morning.

"Hi." Ashley says, now running her hands up my back.

"Hi." I return with a smile and kiss her cheek softly.

Her voice is even huskier than usual. I love it the most in the morning.

Ashley smiles lazily. "Your eyes are so pretty." She mumbles.

I feel heat come to my face from up my neck. "Shut up." I mumble.

Ashley just laughs and pulls me closer to her. Only after about five minutes does she speak. "I have to go." Her voice is laced with misery.

"Nooo, but you're so comfortable." I whine, letting my hands wander inside her shirt.

Her eyes close at my touch and it makes me smile. "I know, but I have to shoot, this thing in the p-park, mmm, Spence."

I bite her neck gently right before I am taken by surprise when she flips us so that I'm on my back and she's on me. "That's not fair." She whispers at the same time her hands are pulling my hips into her hers. "You," she kisses my collarbone and I feel her wet tongue, "are making it harder."

"I have that effect." I say with a smile. Then her lips are on mine.

"Look who's being cocky now." Ashley mumbles into my mouth. Her hands run all over my boy-short underwear and I arch up into her touch instinctively. I feel her hard breath on my cheek and I feel her fingers playing with the band of my underwear. And I feel her lips and tongue and teeth meet my ear all together at once.

Every time I feel this girl's hands on me it's like throwing a match in gasoline. I get hot and rise up into uncontrollable flames.

"Ash." I moan out as her fingers scratch at my thighs. I pull her head into me and bite her lip roughly. Ashley growls and I decid she would by far make the sexiest animal ever.

Something about sex in the morning that makes a person go crazy. I mean, it _is_ the perfect start to a day.

--

It is one week later and I'm walking through town with Madison.

"You need to sound-proof your room." She says, taking a sip of her latte.

"What?" I look at her confused, even though I know exactly what she is talking about. Ashley and I may or may not have gotten really drunk and were really loud in my room last night.

"Don't _what_ me, Carlin. I'm all for good sex and shit, but please, I was trying to sleep."

"May I remind you of Michael, Sean, Aiden, Der-"

"Okay, okay." The Latina holds up her hand in my face to stop me from naming people and examples. "I apologized for _all_ of them."

"Not to mention," I go on, "That you and Derek broke the lamp in the living room."

Madison rolls her eyes. "And I replaced it. Just like you're going to replace the kitchen chair."

I blush and look away from her. She has a point. "Fine." I mutter. I almost spill my scolding hot coffee on some lady and her baby when she rolls the stroller over my foot.

"Speaking of sexcapades, isn't that Ashley?" Madison says curiously. I follow to where her finger is pointing over to a bistro with tables set outside. It's nice out, so it's no surprise all the tables are full of people having lunch. And I do, in fact, see curly brunette hair seated at a table. It is only until I take about five steps forward in that direction when I see who's she's sitting with. The other side of the small table is occupied by a tall girl with shiny, jet-black hair. She's leaning over towards the side where Ashley is sitting.

"Spencer…" Madison says slowly, watching me watching what's happening. The black haired girl has leant over and placed her hand on top of Ashley's. _My_ Ashley. Well, maybe she's not officially mine, but it sure as hell feels that way. I note the hurtful pounding in my chest and the way my vision is quickly being blurred by what are quite possibly tears in my eyes.

But I will not cry. And maybe it's just a friend.

My friend theory is proven wrong when the girl whispers in Ashley's ear. Friends don't whisper intimately like that. No. I'm a little surprised by the way my body is tensing, even as Madison tries to walk me away from the scene of hell.

Ashley looks up for a short second to meet my eyes, but some chance from Satan. The blank expression that was on her face is replaced by a large frown. I see her go to get up, even when the black haired girl tries to pull her hand back towards her. But I turn my back and speed walk with Madison before anything else can happen.

"What the fuck was that." I hiss sadly as Madison is catching up to me.

"It could have been a friend." She says weakly.

I shake my head roughly. "Don't lie. That bitch almost had her tongue in Ashley's ear. I am so stupid." I cover my eyes with my hands and try not to hyperventilate.

I feel like an ass. Of course I'm not the only girl Ashley is seeing. One, we're not official so I shouldn't be feeling this way. But I can't help it. Two, Ashley is confidently sexy, just look at the way we were when we first interacted. I was wooed out of my mind and clothes. I groan into my hands feeling stupider than ever.

"You're not stupid." Madison says gently. She takes a seat next to me on the bench I am sitting on. "Even though you weren't exclusive, still. That's messed up. You want me to punch her in the face?"

I snort a little bit and wipe my eyes. "No." I scold myself for thinking that her face is too pretty to be beaten. Or maybe that's just a good reason to actually have Madison do it.

"Spence, I mean, you went out with that dude." She says.

I snap my head to her and glare at her. "That was different. I barely touched him the whole time, and that was before we had sex." I say maybe a little louder than is necessary. An older couple stares at me as they walk past.

"Spencer." I hear my name called but it's not Madison's voice. It's Ashley's. She's standing a bit in front of the bench, with a frown on her face, Looking the exact opposite of that charming girl I first met. Madison stands up so quickly I almost don't see her move. "Look, let me ex-"

"No." Madison says firmly, holding her hand up. It looks like she desperately wants to slap Ashley.

Ashley shakes her head. "I know it looks bad, and it might be, but just listen."

"Fuck no." Madison says roughly, taking a step towards Ashley. "Walk away right now or I swear to Lucifer I will punch in that pretty face of yours."

Ashley takes a step back with wide eyes. They then dart to me. "I'm really sorry Sp-"

"Now." Madison growls. And Ashley hangs her head, not looking at me as she leaves.

"Madison." I sigh. She sits back down and calms her temper before meeting my eyes.

"Come on, let's get out of here." She gently pulls my arm in the direction of my apartment.

--

So far, I've gotten ten text messages, two voicemails, and three calls to my phone. I just sit on the couch, not reading or listening, or answering any of them. I know they're apology attempts. I'm just scared they're pity attempts as well.

"_Spencer. Please pick up your phone. I need to explain to you. It's not exactly what it looked like, I'm so sorry. I'm not going to stop trying."_ Is what one of the voicemails says.

I just sigh after closing my phone. Part of me wants her to explain, because at least she can do that. The other part of me is scared when she explains that she'll just say things like _we were never exclusive_ or God strike me down if she says _we were just having fun_. We were having fun, but my feelings told me it was so much more than that. And I thought it was for her too.

I am waiting for Madison to get off the phone, which has been like the longest phone call ever and I have no idea who she's rambling to. Because we have to go to work. To say I'm not excited is a severe understatement. The last thing I want to do right now is serve asshole people and be treated like shit. But I need the money.

"Come on Mopey Joe, let's bounce." She says, pulling her white collared shirt.

When we get to the catering hall, there is no one there yet. Madison and I just go into the back and get things together.

"Here, can you fold the napkins while I go to the bar? I'll be right back." She throws a pile of nice cloth napkin at me and skips away.

After about ten minutes, she appears in the back. Her face looks apologetic. "Table 8 is asking for you."

I almost yell in frustration. "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Madison shrugs. "Come on." She takes my elbow and leads me into the main room. When we get there, there is no one here, and Table 8 only has one person at it. Ashley is sitting with her hands folded on top of the table and turns when she hears me and Madison.

"What the hell is going on?" I say roughly to both girls. One looking nervous and the other with a sly smile on her face.

Madison flashes her smile at me before leaving me with Ashley. The brunette stands up and plays with her hands.

"You better tell me what the hell is going on. Am I actually working?" I ask stupidly. Of course I'm not. Madison set this up.

"No." Ashley says quietly. "I wanted to talk to you and explain, but you wouldn't answer me."

"This is ridiculous." I say, crossing my arms across my chest.

"Look, Spencer. When you saw me with that girl, I was on a date, yes. But I met her before I met you and she kept calling me and calling me. I constantly ignored her and told her I was busy."

"Whatever Ashley." I interrupt her. I know she's not lying by the look on her face. It's scared and nervous. I've never seen her like that before. It makes my heart hurt a little bit.

"Wait. She was getting really pissed, and I felt bad, so I agreed to go out _once_ with her. I was never seeing anyone else but you, Spence, I swear. And the whole time I was at lunch with her, all I was thinking was how much I wished I were with you. How she was not even an eighth as adorable as you are, or as funny and sweet. I was so bored I actually started to sing songs in my head." She says and I see her lips curl up in a smile a little bit. Mine copy them, but I blink it away.

"Ashley." Is all I say.

"I would have told you if Madison wasn't going to break my nose or if you had answered me. I never kissed her. And I wouldn't have anyway, ever. I'm so sorry I hurt you, Spence. I was _not_ serious about her." Ashley looks down quickly and then back up and her brown eyes meet mine and I melt a little bit by just her gaze. It's warm. "But I am _so_ serious about you Spencer. I haven't wanted to be with someone so much in such a long time, but now I do. With you. I was going to go ask you to be my girlfriend right after I got rid of that stupid girl." She coughs nervously.

"I went on a date with some guy." I blurt out.

Surprisingly, Ashley nods. "Madison told me, and I don't care. I just want to be with you." Her fingers tap themselves on the top of the table. "Do you still like me enough to be my girlfriend?"

Her eyes are nervous. "I don't know." I say slowly.

"Yeah, no, I get it." She looks like she might cry and all I want to do is hug her because what I just did was mean. I can't help but laugh a tiny bit.

"I'm kidding Ash, of course I still like you, I never stopped liking you." I smile at her and her face changes from sadness to joy. And her arms are around me in one second flat, squeezing me tight into her body.

"That was so mean." She says in a low voice. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Won't happen again." I say with a smile.

She pulls away slightly to find my eyes and I am mesmerized by her bright, gorgeous smile. This time, when we kiss, it's not filled with lust, or anything rough. It's deeper and happier. Her soft hands are cupping my face and she brushes her fingers through my hair. Ashley kisses the side of my mouth, and then my cheek.

"So, you feel better about Table 8 now?" She asks me while lacing her fingers with mine.

Her smile makes her nose scrunch and dimples show. I trace her dimples with my free hand while brown eyes continue to stare into mine happily.

"Oh, I am in very deep like with Table 8."

* * *

_**El Fin**_


	17. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight

_The title is taken from the great song that inspired this. The District Sleeps Alone Tonight by The Postal Service.  
_

_

* * *

_

**The District Sleeps Alone Tonight**

The sky was greyish, that color that should be indicating a soon-to-be rainstorm. But there was no rain. There was nothing but a severe chill to the air that penetrated my spine and finger tips. Unfortunately, I was wearing those gloves that are cut off at the fingers. And my maroon scarf was doing nothing to hide my neck from the cold air.

My taxi cab wove in and out of traffic, up and down the Alphabet lettered streets. Passing large white monuments and houses. I could never decide if Washington D.C. was a depressing or inspirational place. Right then, though, I was definitely leaning towards the former. My sweaty hands were not inspiring anything from the capital, the place where big things happen. Big people did big things here. I would be lucky if my insignificant self could repair what had broken.

When the bumble-bee like taxi stopped at the curb outside her apartment complex, I saw her in all her magnificent glory waiting for me out in the cold. Her arms wrapped around her body like a shield to the wind, blonde hair blowing every which way. There was just a small smile on her lips as I stepped out onto the sidewalk.

"Hey." I addressed her quietly. I was holding back. What I really wanted to do was have my arms replace her own and to bury my face in her neck. And either kiss it or sob into it. I wasn't sure.

"Hey there." She answered and moved towards me. The hug happened in the kind of slow-motion you see in dramatic movies and television shows. It was not a joyous embrace, but it was a slightly comforting one at least. "You're here." She announced as we let go of each other. Me reluctantly, and her seemingly easily.

"I am." I smiled as my eyes scanned her face for the first time in months. It looked skinnier, a more defined jaw. Her blue eyes looked tired, but happy nonetheless. There was still that ever-present sparkle that made me fall in love every single time I saw it. "It's cold out here."

She nodded in agreement as I grabbed the one bag I had brought with me. She led us inside and to her apartment door, which was unlocked with a black key.

When I walked inside, I saw her everywhere. She was in the couch, in the lamps, in the coffee table, in the tablecloth. The outside of the apartment complex did her no justice, but she had instilled herself all over the inside. Soft blue couch, the one in which I would be sleeping on. Polka dotted tablecloth, pastel greens and pinks and yellows splattered all over.

My brown eyes spotted the thick book on the coffee table, the one I bought her for a just-because present a long time ago. A book about bridges. Huge architectural structures, small step bridges. We had been together for a handful of months, still in that honeymoon stage, in that bliss that seemed to die down more quickly than a fire doused in buckets of water. It was no one's fault. She was leaving. I was staying. I would no longer be a permanent physical structure in her life, just a reoccurring visitor.

She was the worst kind of "friend" in that moment that seemed to last centuries. The kind of "friend" that I was still completely in love with. When she broke up with me I kept it together on the outside, trying to understand. But I was crumbling on the inside. Now there was just debris.

"The couch pulls out, and it's pretty comfortable. A bunch of my friends said they're going out tonight, so we can do that." She told me as she watched me put my bag on the couch, next to the pillows and blankets that were already stationed on it.

"That sounds fun." I replied.

She smiled at me, those blue eyes twinkling just a little bit more than before. "I'm glad you're here."

-

Her new friends were all extremely smart. They were all going places, determined. You know the type, the girls who always raise their hands in class, answering every question correctly. They had internships in The White House. They did community service for non-profit organizations. They were environmentally friendly. I had never felt more out of place.

The bar was a boring sports bar that lawyers frequented after a long day in the office. I saw nothing to do but to drink down the night. And in a matter of hours, I was buzzed and feeling better about myself and this situation I found myself in.

"How ya feelin'?" I heard her slurred, but soft voice ask me later on. Her blonde hair had gotten a little static-y and crazy. She looked adorable and I wanted to touch her, just be in contact with that soft skin for a second or two, or three or four.

"Pretty good, pretty good." I answered with a tilted smile on my face. My brown eyes focused intensely on her blue ones, and I never tore them away. She was the only thing in this dimly lit room that seemed so perfectly clear.

When the bars began to turn out their lights, we headed back to her apartment. The streets were empty, something I thought weird. And the inside of her apartment was just as cold as the chilly air outside. I hugged her goodnight, a long hug, holding onto the back of her sweatshirt. My hands gripped the fabric softly. No words were spoken as my mouth made contact with her neck. It did nothing but gently rest there.

"I missed you." I mumbled, my eyes closed tight.

Her lips met mine softly and gently, pushing and pulling each others. I had to pull away before the wetness in my eyes threatened to fall.

She rested her forehead against mine, and a light "goodnight" was whispered between out conjoining breaths. I knew what it meant, more importantly I knew what it didn't mean. Nothing changed, because reality was still reality. One kiss wouldn't bring us back together. Not that easily, and not now.

Her life in this place was important. And so I lay alone on her couch, in her apartment, in her life where I was so very out of place.

I guess I was the one worth leaving.

* * *

**_El Fin_**


	18. You Are Here pt 1

**You Are Here (Part One)**

_The Place You Go When You Die_

That is what the sign said. Ashley Davies looked at the sign from a distance. There must have been twenty-five people in front of her. Her fingers tapped impatiently on her jean-clad thighs. They were dark jeans, the kind that were purposely made to look like they had been through the wash at least a hundred times.

She thought, as she stood behind a woman holding the hand of a little girl, that the sign she was looking at could be more graceful. Or at least more specific. Because honestly, she had no idea where she was. Ashley never believed in heaven and hell and Pergatory and all those things Catholic school preaches about. It was hard to define the way she thought about what would happen after you died. If anything, the sign could have been at least more personal.

"What the fuck is the hold up." She murmured under her breath.

The small, dark haired girl in front of her turned around to stare at her. "Mommy. That girl said a bad word."

Her mother was not listening to her daughter. She was thinking about how she had left her hair straightener plugged in the last time she left her house. Ever.

"Fuck." The little girl said with a giggle.

"Paulie!" Her mother gasped at her small daughter's outburst. "That's not a nice word."

Paulie pointed at the bored Ashley Davies with curly hair behind her. "She said it."

Paulie's mother gave Ashley a hard glare. "Sorry." Ashley mumbled softly. She let out a sigh as her fingers continued to tap her jeans. She was getting impatient.

"Fuck." Paulie said again with a straight face.

The Davies girl waved her hands in the air, as to let the girl to stop saying that "bad" word. She shook her head at Paulie. Little kids were something that always irritated her. They knew no boundaries. And they were selfish.

Already bored of her own finger-tapping, Ashley resorted to crossing her arms over her chest, over her black t-shirt. It was overcast outside, the sun covered by bunches of clouds. Ashley frowned, because she thought places like this were supposed to be full of sunshine and rainbows, unicorns and…angels? Maybe. At least sunshine would have been comforting.

The line moved forward, each person taking a small step in the direction of that boring sign.

Ashley's shoulder was tapped by an old woman behind her.

"Butterscotch?" The lady asked her with a smile on her face, a candy in her hand.

"Uh, no, no thanks." Ashley replied quietly. She didn't feel like talking. Actually, Ashley Davies never felt like talking. She found it easier to just stay quiet and observe. People used to call her _reserved_. Like it was some kind of horrid thing that being obnoxious and loud was not ingrained into her characteristics and traits.

"It'll make you feel better." The lady sang out, pushing her hand towards Ashley. Ashley looked at the older woman. She was just about her own height, and her hair, she swear, had a tint of green to it. She was the grandmother type. You could just tell with those kind of ladies. She probably had a rocking chair at home. She probably had rosaries in every corner of her house. She probably sent birthday and holiday cards to her grandchildren with dollar bills in them.

The young brunette shook her head. _Just leave me alone_, she thought to herself.

"You know." The older woman put her candy in her large purse and started to address Ashley. "You remind me of my granddaughter. She never took my candies either."

Well now Ashley just felt bad. She could have just taken the candy, what harm would it do her? But the moment had passed. All Ashley had to offer now was a small smile.

The line moved again. More steps were taken and she was getting closer. Ashley saw a woman with a clipboard walking down the row of people, stopping every once in a while. She must have been in her mid-forties, but Ashley thought she looked younger. The blonde hair and blue eyes of the woman stood out, and she was kind of tall.

"Ashley Cathleen Davies." The blonde haired woman stated. She didn't ask Ashley if that was her name. It was obvious she already knew, and she was looking down at the paper attached to her clipboard. Ashley looked at the way the clipboard was clear plastic. That was weird.

"Uh, yes." Ashley said quietly, meeting the eyes of the woman.

"Here you go sweetie." The woman said to her and handed the brunette a slip of paper with her name at the top. The paper had Ashley's birthday, her eye color, her hair color, her blood type, and a long list of other facts about the girl on it. Similar to an intensified drivers license. Except date of death. Those were usually not on Drivers licenses.

Ashley took the paper and slipped it into her pocket.

"Just sign on the dotted line and bring it to the front desk when you get in." The woman told her with a slight smile.

_What is this, a car dealership?_ Ashley wanted to ask, but she didn't. She never really spoke things like that out loud.

The blonde haired woman waited for the brunette to ask he what it was. Actually, the woman standing next to Ashley with the clipboard thought this young girl seemed eerily familiar. Maybe in another life, she had known her. But Ashley never asked.

"It's a release." The woman told Ashley.

"A release?" Ashley asked, her eyebrow tilting up.

"Of death. Yes." And with that, the woman moved down the line and out of Ashley's sight. Ashley thought, after she left, that the woman was probably very pretty when she was younger.

After about another fifteen minutes of this whole waiting in line thing, Ashley was getting extremely bored. The little girl Paulie served as her only distraction. She kept saying "fuck" and other words she must have learned somewhere else. Definitely not from Ashley, because the brunette hadn't said anything else since she was given that slip of paper.

"I can sing you know." Paulie said suddenly to Ashley. "I know the ABC's. That's my favorite song."

Ashley thought maybe this little girl needed to get out more.

"I'll sing it for you." Paulie said, angry that the girl behind her was not responding. She had just offered the ABC's. What was wrong with this girl that she didn't understand the greatness of the ABC's? "A b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p-"

"Margaret and Paulie Stewart" A voice, thankfully for Ashley, stopped the little girl's singing mid-song.

Paulie and her mother stepped forward, and Ashley, in her boredom hadn't even noticed that they were now in the front of the line. The man at the head of the line, looked over the small girl and her mother, then let them inside. There weren't even gates or anything. _How lame_, Ashley thought.

"Later!" Paulie yelled back to Ashley as she was dragged by her mother's hand out of Ashley's sight.

"Ashley Davies."

She stepped up to the man and he looked her over. Not in a creepy, weirdo way. In a way where it was almost like he was looking for something that was out place. Weirdly, Ashley did not feel out of place.

The man nodded his head in the direction in front of Ashley. She followed his nod silently through the opening, and her eyes took in the surrounding. It looked like a condensed town. Same overcast sky. Same clouds. Ashley thought maybe it would be more peaceful or open, or, something. But it wasn't.

She had no idea where to go next. Becoming frustrated, Ashley walked towards where there was _another_ line of people, including Paulie and her mother. This place should have been more straight-forward, or at least she should have been directed better.

At least this line went quicker than the last. Ashley felt like she was on line in a grocery store. Or maybe a store like _T J Maxx_ where there was a large counter where you were to return an item. The brunette looked ahead of the one person that was ahead of her. The girl behind the counter was whistling and twirling her blonde hair in her fingers.

When Ashley handed the girl behind the counter her slip, she glanced a peak at her nametag. _A nametag? How commercial_, Ashley thought. The large, bold print on the metal attached to the girl's shirt read _Spencer_.

"Ashley Davies." The young blonde said as she wrote some things down on the slip. Ashley noticed right away that the girl had very blue eyes and very blonde hair. She looked like a young version of the woman who had been holding the clipboard.

Ashley thought right.

"Ashley Davies." The girl said again, finally meeting the brunette's eyes. She tilted her head and repeated the only two words she had been saying for the last thirty seconds. "Ashley Davies."

"Yes, God, that's my name." Ashley blurted out, holding onto the counter. Not many people annoyed her, but this girl was irritating.

"I'm Spencer, not God." The blonde, Spencer, said, giving Ashley a smirk.

Ashley felt no need to respond to the annoying blonde's clever statement.

"Here ya go." Spencer finally said, handing Ashley a small piece of very white paper.

_Janitorial Staff_

"What?"

"That's your job." Spencer said like it was the most obvious thing, like she was explaining crayons to a kid.

"I have to be a janitor?" Ashley said more to herself than to anyone around her.

Spencer clicked her tongue on the roof of her mouth. "Uh, yah. Don't worry, it's not bad." She smiled at the curly-haired brunette who looked very distraught.

"I'm in heaven and I have to be a fricking janitor." Ashley mumbled.

"Whoa whoa." Spencer said slowly, holding her hands up like she was innocent. "You're not in heaven cutie-pie."

Ashley glared at her, again folding her arms over her chest. "Well where am I then?"

Spencer shrugged, taking the slip of the next person as Ashley got pushed aside. "You're just here."

Ashley rolled her eyes at the stupid, pretty, but obviously ditzy, blonde girl. When she walked away, she almost felt like there should be a directory in the middle of the pathway. With one of those arrows that said: _You Are Here_. Wherever _here_ was, Ashley didn't like it. Couldn't they define this place better?

Her feet took her to a building, a building that was written down in the piece of paper the blonde had given Ashley. _Cautionary Complex_. Ashley didn't like alliteration. And the further she walked in, the more she didn't like it. The door opened automatically, and Ashley felt like she was at some hotel, or on some college campus.

The wide hall to the elevator was lined with mirrors, and the moment Ashley caught a look at herself she almost gasped. Stepping closer, she saw herself squint into the mirror.

She was surprised.

She was…

Young.

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**


	19. You Are Here pt 2

**You Are Here (Part Two)**

Large brown eyes stared deep into their counterpart. Ashley Davies had been so very busy with the waiting in line, the forms, and of course, the whole dying thing, that she had never thought to look at herself. But really, who goes to check daily if they are still the same age?

Like a small child, young Ashley reached out a hand to touch the mirror. It was cold. That was it. She was half expecting the mirror to shimmer, or maybe she would be able to walk through it. _My expectations for this place are way too high_, Ashley thought as she put her hand back in her pocket.

Her eyes were bright with caramel specks in them. Her face wrinkle free and looked as smooth as a baby's behind. Her figure was flawless; toned stomach and lovely curves. If Ashley had to pick an age, she thought she looked exactly how she appeared when she was twenty one years old. She felt that way as well. She might be able to go run a mile and possibly jump some rope.

Ashley continued to stare at herself in the mirror. She was not vain, no. But it was nice to look like this. She had absolutely no complaints. It had been quite a long time since she had looked like this, felt like this.

Fifty years, to be exact.

After a few long moments of gazing into the mirror at her young, twenty one year old self, Ashley Davies moved on.

She walked easy steps over to the elevator and when she stepped inside, Ashley looked around for buttons. Any normal buttons you would push to go to whatever floor you wanted. But there was nothing. The walls were bare, the wallpaper inside was crackling, if that is the correct word.

_This place fucking sucks_, Ashley thought to herself as the doors closed by themselves. The box she was standing in began to move by itself, and Ashley couldn't tell whether it was going up or down. She wondered whether it would be stopping on any floors. It didn't, it just kept going for three whole minutes. Three minutes exactly, and the young brunette knew this because she counted the seconds. Three whole minutes is a long time to count in seconds. Especially alone in a weird elevator.

Finally, the box came to an abrupt stop and the doors opened. Stepping out, Ashley looked around. It appeared that she was in an office building. Again, disappointment took over her body. _I'm dead and now I'm bored_.

The only sound that could be heard was light talking that seemed to be coming from a room down the hall. Ashley followed the voices and let herself inside a room, a room that ended up being a large conference room. There were people sitting around a long, round table, talking amongst themselves. Ashley's brown eyes met with the blue eyes of the woman standing in the front. The woman with the clipboard.

"Ashley. Good to see you made it. Take a seat." The woman gave young Ashley a soft smile while motioning for her to take a seat. Ashley sat in the most comfortable leather chair she had ever sat in.

"Is this some Powerpoint presentation or something?" Ashley asked quietly, and no one in particular.

A girl who seemed to be the same age as her, turned her head in Ashley's direction. She was a little scary looking, like she could snap at you any second. "It's the introduction. Didn't you read your packet?"

"Packet?" Ashley tilted her head to the side.

"Yeah, the one they give you in the very beginning."

Ashley just shook her head and the girl shrugged and turned around again.

Suddenly, the door to the conference room burst open and the same young blonde from earlier came bustling in.

"Spencer, nice for you to finally join us." The older woman said sarcastically and threw in an eye roll for good measure.

The girl, Spencer, plopped down into a chair at the front of the room. "_Sorry_ mom."

The woman ignored her daughter's apology. She'd heard it a million and one times.

"Alright, let's get started then, shall we?" The older blonde said, getting everyone's attention. "My name is Paula, I'm just going to run off the list of names I have here." She waved her clear, plastic clipboard in front of her face. "Bryan Decker. Drowned." A guy with short black hair in probably his mid-thirties raised his hand and nodded. "Robin Redford. Brain tumor." A girl with red hair and freckles smiled at Paula. She looked about seventeen years old. "Madison Duarte. Drugs." The girl that had been talking to Ashley about the introduction packets shot her hand up into the air. "Aiden Dennison. Motorcycle incident." A tall young guy nodded his head towards Paula. "Ashley Davies. Sleep." Ashley frowned and slowly raised her hand half way up.

Ashley remembered coming home from dinner with her sister and being extremely tired. She remembered getting into her bed and feeling so much more relaxed after the long day she had. Then, she just never woke up. She didn't feel a thing. One moment she was having a dream about high school, and the next moment she was standing in that line in this place. Wherever this place was.

After Paula listed the rest of the names of the people around the table, she began to explain what was going on.

"Okay. Well, first of all welcome." She said cheerily. Ashley thought this was strange. "This is my daughter, Spencer."

The young blonde girl sitting down next to her mother waved with a cute little smile on her face. Then she began to hum quietly.

"Anyway." Paula continued. "You are all in the older age group. You might have noticed your appearance, which is noticeably younger then when you passed. You are now whatever age you feel you are. I hope it's satisfactory."

Ashley looked down at her flat stomach and felt her defined jaw line with her hand. She was satisfied.

"The older age group usually appears much younger, unless you were one hundred percent happy with yourself when you passed. The middle age group usually appears around the same age you are. And any younger children stay the same."

Ashley wondered if anyone else thought this was the weirdest thing they had ever encountered.

Paula kept talking, but mostly about the jobs that everyone was assigned. And if they had any comments, complaints, or suggestions, to fill out a small sheet and drop it in the box by the door on the way out.

"Ashley Davies." Ashley heard her name said from beside but didn't answer. She knew it was that Spencer girl and she wanted to see if she would say anything else besides her name. "You look kind of familiar."

Ashley shrugged. "Sorry." The brunette finally brought her eyes to the form of the girl. She was dressed in nicely pressed khakis and a dark blue collared shirt. She thought that the girl looked like she belonged in a _Toys R Us_. Although she did look very cute.

"I bet you're happy about your appearance." Spencer said adsentmindedly as she popped her gum.

"Why's that?"

Spencer looked at Ashley like it was obvious. "'Cause you're hot."

"Keep it in you pants, Spencer." Paula scolded as she walked by briefly with the clipboard in her hand. Paula gave Ashley an apology smile for her daughter.

Spencer ignored her mother and kept her eyes on Ashley. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Ashley responded as they walked out of the Cautionary Complex and onto the sidewalk.

"Well, some people need to talk about it, you know, after dying and everything."

Ashley shook her head. "Nope. I'm dead, right. So there's not much I can do about it. It's not like I'm in one of those movies where I have to figure out that I'm dead, right?"

Spencer giggled. "You're cute. And no."

"Good." Is all Ashley said. Although her brown eyes met Spencer's blue ones for a minute. They were very pretty. So pretty it was like she'd seen them one thousand times before. But Ashley knew that was impossible.

Right?

* * *

**_To Be Continued..._**


	20. Box pt 1

_Please excuse my skipping over of You Are Here for the time being. I'm kind of at a dead end with that one, and when I got the inspiration for this I just had to roll with it. I will finish You Are Here though, I promise. I would like to cite a certain scene in a certain fantastic TV show for partial inspiration, although I don't want to give the story away so I'll keep it at that. If you know/recognize it, cool beans, if you don't, cool beans as well. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. :)_

* * *

**Box (Part One)**

"You're a bitch."

"No, I'm actually not. That'd be you."

"Fuck you."

"Excuse me?" She turns around to face me now, her face incredibly red, eyebrows scrunched together, fingers balled into fists. For the first time, I think she might actually hit me. "What did you just say."

"You heard me," I seethe, my teeth clenched as I lean towards her.

"Oh. Oh, you, don't use that fucking language with me." She whips her head back around, her blonde hair flying in all directions. She is basically stomping down the sidewalk, swinging her ugly-ass red crocodile skin purse, or whatever the fuck it is, back and forth. She knows I'm close to her, and she knows she's basically whipping me with it.

"Stop hitting me with your ugly-ass purse, Spencer."

She ignores me. She ignores me a lot when we get into fights. Fights that are seemingly never ending. I don't know what it is. Maybe being together for so long has really just torn us apart. Maybe we've had too much of each other, like an overload. Maybe all we need is a break. I fear adding the word _up_ to that statement.

"Just, shut up Ashley. Always whining, bickering, complaining, bitching."

I roll my eyes. "Those are the things you're supposed to tell the therapist, Spencey-poo. Stop telling me them."

"Then shut the hell up."

"Maybe you need to stop trying to control everything I do, all the time, all day long, every fucking single sec-"

"Okay!" She yells, turning her head my way once again. Her gorgeous, sparkly, blue eyes are squinting severely at mine.

Spencer and I make our way through the fancy glass doors of the building. We're used to it by now, we've been here, together and separately, at least a dozen times. It's either because she's too strung out to have sex, or it's that I'm away for work too much to help with anything, or it's that I paid the bills late, or sometimes it's because she locks me out of the apartment and won't let me back in for hours. _Hours_.

Her high heels click against the shiny, smooth tiles of the floor, and I nod at the security guard. I feel ashamed that he even knows who I am. Going to therapy, with your girlfriend, is definitely not something to be proud of. What worries me is that we continue to go just because we're too scared to leave each other. Because maybe that's what needs to be done.

And she's wearing this tight, black pencil skirt, with this flowy, almost purple-ish blouse. I say this because it's hard not to notice. Especially when all I'm wearing is a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

When we get to the elevator, I smash my hand against the up button, and it lights up. And we wait.

"Is all that force seriously necessary, Ash?" Spencer asks me roughly.

"I had to let it out somewhere," I mumble and turn my head away from her. "I hope you know I'm missing a meeting for this bullshit."

"Yeah? And you were gunna just wear that to a meeting. Jeans and a t-shirt. Fancy."

I stare at the side of her head and plead with God to let laser beams come out of my eyes and my nostrils, penetrating her stupid blonde head and neck. Maybe then she'd beg for me to be nice to her and help out. Whatever.

"Why is this taking so long, ugh." I close my eyes and tap my boot-covered foot on the floor. I tilt my head up towards the ceiling, where I can feel cold air from the air-conditioner being pelted out. It feels refreshing, because it's incredibly hot outside. I try to calm myself, to take deep breaths, to count slowly to fifty or whatever number I decide. It kind of works. I feel my heartbeats slow down, steadying. I feel my shoulders and fingers and mid-section relax.

I open my eyes slowly and level them straight ahead, and I see Spencer standing in the elevator with her hands crossed over her chest. I stop the door from closing with my hand just inches before it does.

"You're an ass," I spit out at Spencer who has an obnoxious, snarky smirk on her face. Then I hit the button for floor sixteen. It lights up.

"It's nineteen," Spencer says, pointing the already lit up number nineteen.

"No, it's not," I tell her. "I wonder what type of tie he'll be wearing today," I muse out loud.

"Maybe that ugly puke green checkered one," Spencer chuckles, loosening her arms from around her.

"I like that one."

Spencer laughs lightly. "You would."

I smile at her. No matter how much we fight, we always seem to be able to go back to _us_ and I like _us_. It is essentially, the reason why we stay together. Because we both love _us_.

"You have the check, right," Spencer says as she checks the watch on her wrist, the one I gave her for our two year anniversary present.

"Uh," I trail off. "What?"

Spencer turns to me, and I can see it in her eyes. "Ashley. The payment we owe him, it was on the kitchen counter."

I meet my eyes with her. "You said you got it," I say slowly.

Spencer's eyes look up quickly and then they come back to mine. They're darker, and I'm guessing it's not because she's turned on. "I asked, _got the check?_"

"No, you said, _got the check_," I say seriously.

The blonde lets out a growl of anger. "Ashley! You had one job, to bring the check, that's all.

"You said you had it! I'm _sorry_ if I didn't fully realize the difference between a question mark and a period in your voice!"

I see her open her mouth to say something angrily back, but at that moment whatever she says gets drowned out by an absolutely awful noise. A noise which seems to coincide with the extreme jerking of the elevator box we're standing in. I hit the wall, slamming my arm into the little bar attached to the wall for people to hold onto, or lean against.

"_Fuck_," I hiss, holding the place where I hit my arm. And then the lights flicker, and the sixteen and nineteen buttons are no longer lit up. And it's dark. And we're going to fucking suffocate in this small box.

"Oh my God. Oh my God," I mumble. " What the _fuck_ is going on?"

"Ash, calm down," Spencer tells me, taking step closer to me. "I just think it got stuck, or broke down, or something."

"Shit balls. We're gunna run out of oxygen, oh my God Spencer I can't breathe-" I get interrupted by a hard slap to my cheek. My eyes widen in surprise and shock.

"Calm down and shut the fuck up," Spencer says in a weirdly soothing voice. And so I do.

She steps in front of me to press the emergency button. Nothing happens. She presses it again. Still, nothing happens. Then she starts to repeatedly press it, and that's when I grab her hand away form it.

"Hey," I say quietly. "Spencer." I take her hand and pull her into me so she's now leaning against my body. And I can feel her nervousness radiating off her. "It's okay." I fight back my urge to laugh, this is _so_ not the time.

After a moment, Spencer steps away from me and takes a deep breathe. "I'm fine." Again, we're standing apart from each other. Her short moment of panic and nervousness makes me think of the first time I met Spencer. I look over at her, moving my head slowly.

_The first bell had already rung and kids were shuffling, quickly, to and from the classrooms they needed to be in. I had no intention of getting to class on time, I never really did. So I moved slowly, easily, dragging my Converse covered feet across the conrete. Even though there was shade, the sun was still shining down on the lockers outside quite harshly. _

_I didn't feel like carrying my books around today, so instead I opted for carrying my guitar over my should on its strap. And then the second-bell rang. Stragglers made their way down the hall quicker than before, classroom doors slammed closed, and blinds were rolled down. _

_I was still about half-way to my English class when I turned a corner and bumped right into someone. Actually, they bumped into me. Probably because this particular person had their head down, but was moving quickly around the corner. At first contact, the person's books flew all over the floor and my coffee, the only other thing I was carrying, splattered all over the ground. _

"_Shit," the girl, I now noticed it was a girl, uttered loudly. She just stood in place, looking at the dropped books and spilled hot liquid. "Shit," she said again. "I'm so sorry."_

_She had blonde hair tied back in a loose ponytail. And her eyes were blue and sincere when they apologized. I noticed her long legs, emerging from a pink-ish short skirt resting on her hips. She was quite gorgeous, and I was surprised I hadn't seen her before. _

"_Hey, no worries," I smiled at her, but she wasn't looking. She was already bending down, trying to pick up her books and wipe the coffee off her papers. _

_I knelt down beside her, and that's when she looked at me. Her eyes blinked. _

"_I'm sorry," is all she said, but it looked like she was intently focusing on my face. She was even prettier up close. _

"_Please, it's okay. I swear. Just coffee. I'm sorry your papers got ruined."_

_The pretty blonde shook her head. "It's…okay. I'm sorry, I'm new and a little topsy turvy."_

_I smirked and raised my eyebrows at her strange expression. It was very cute. "We all get a little…topsy turvy sometimes," I told her. _

_When we both stood up, I wanted to keep talking to her and not let her run off to class. "I'm Ashley." I held out my hand for her to shake. _

_And for the first time since she'd bumped into me, she smiled. Her smile was, for lack of better words, breath-taking. _

"_Spencer, Spencer Carlin," she said with a shy smile. Her hand slid into mine, and right then, at that moment, I was convinced. I had to have her. _

_The next day, I found Spencer Carlin looking at the bulletin board outside the main office. It was a pretty day, and I had again decided against books and for my guitar. When I reached her, I tapped her on the shoulder. _

"_Hey," I said, giving her a smile as well. _

"_Ashley," is all she said, and smiled back. _

_I held out a notebook to her. "Um, I thought you might want a new one since yours got covered in my coffee."_

_Spencer smiled wide at me and I think, I think she might have blushed. "Thanks, that's so sweet of you. But I was the one who bumped into you, so I don't know if I deserve this. I feel like I owe you a coffee."_

_I laughed. "That's okay. But, I was going to go get coffee anyway, so you could come with me, if you want."_

_Spencer nodded. "Yeah, okay."_

I am now sitting cross-legged on the floor of the broken elevator box, taking slow and easy breaths. Spencer is sitting across from me, against the wall. Her knees are lifted up, her arms around them. She looks so much younger.

"What are we gunna do?" I ask her quietly.

Spencer shrugs, her eyes penetrating mine. "I mean, it's gotta be fixed sooner or later, right? They must know people are in here, they have cameras and stuff, right?"

I tap my fingers against my jeans. "I guess."

I try not to think about how nervous I'm getting. And about how hot it is inside this small, stupid, fucking box.

* * *

_**To Be Continued...**_


	21. Box pt 2

**Box (Part Two)**

My boots are no longer on my feet. They're leaning against the side of the wall, and my head is tilted backwards.

"Holy crap, stop," Spencer suddenly blurts out.

I am assuming she is referring to my whistling, and when I move my head to look at her, her eyes are right on me. But they're not so angry. She just looks tired and a little aggravated.

"Sorry," I mumble. "I can't believe this."

Spencer just keeps looking at me. Her eyes are piercing mine, and they're not just situated on my own brown ones. They move from my cheek, to my lips, to my neck, to the top of my head, and back to look into my eyes. Her expression is calm now, and she blinks slowly. She looks really gorgeous.

I don't say anything and neither does she. Whether we're thinking we're going die in this box, or that we're going to end up breaking up after we survive, neither of us says anything.

"I love you," Spencer says randomly. And her voice is soft, mellow. It is the very thing I need to calm myself down, to steady my nervous, shaking hands. Her statement is something I haven't heard in a while. I know she loves me, and she knows that I love her. After time, though, those three words began to be spoken less and less. I missed them.

"I love you too Spencer."

"Are you sure?"

I nod slowly, but surely. "Positive. Always have, always will." I motion for her to scoot over to me, and even though the majority of my brain thinks she will stay where she is, she does move. Spencer moves next to me, leaning against my shoulder, and I put my arm loosely around her. She moves closer to me when I lightly kiss her forehead.

_We had been hanging out for a while. Maybe it was two months. Maybe it was three months. All I knew was that when I was hanging out with Spencer time seemed to be irrelevant. The new girl I met was really only the tip of the iceberg. The more time we spent together, the more I realized how funny she was. How sweet. How sarcastic and fiery she could be when she let loose. _

_And my crush was growing. Each time I saw her, the urge to kiss her became stronger. But we were molding a foundation, we were taking our time. Neither of us expressed it, but I knew she felt the same. She had to. Spencer couldn't do small things, like kiss my cheek, and grab my hand randomly in the car, and sit on my lap playfully in the park, and try to pay for me, without having some feelings for me. _

_Every time we made contact, which began to be much more often, I felt tingles go throughout my body. There was this electricity I had never felt before. I was only nervous that if I did end up growing the balls to kiss her, I would surely explode._

"_What should we watch?" Spencer asked me. She was sitting on my bed, remote in her hand. She definitely looked adorable today. Tight jeans, think blue t-shirt. Her hair had gotten longer and it was down. Very blonde and very pretty. _

"_Hmm. The Golden Girls?"_

_Spencer laughed. "You're a nerd."_

_I just looked at her and smiled. And she smiled back. When I went to sit down next to her, I tried to grab the remote out of her hand. Bur she jerked away and smirked. _

"_For real Spence. The Golden Girls is on," I whined. _

"_Stop whining," she joked and gave me a soft shove. _

_I shoved her back, and tried to knock the remote out of her hand. But she held on to it. Spencer just gave me a playful look, and waved it in front of my face. But as soon as I went to grab it, she pulled away. I moved closer to her._

"_I know you're ticklish cutie. Don't make me use that against you," I threatened her with a sly smile. My hand started to touch her side, and moved away. _

"_Don't you dare."_

"_Gimme the remote." I moved closer to her, keeping her eyes level with mine. _

"_No sir." _

_I grabbed her right as she tried to get off the bed, and pinned her down. My body was floating above hers, and every part of her I touched felt incredibly soft. We fought playfully a lot. And it always ended up this way. This intense flirting, this feeling of me just wanting to kiss her. _

_With her back on the bed and my head moving closer to her own, Spencer spoke. "No fair, you're stronger." _

_I chuckled easily. "At least you admit it," I whispered. _

_My heart was pounding, and I know I was smiling stupidly at her. But I just couldn't help it. She made me smile. Everything she did made me smile. Her smile, her laughing at me, her throwing something at me. All made me smile. _

_Her eyes were partially lidded, and watching me intently. I saw them dip down quickly to my lips. "Are you ever going to kiss me?" Spencer asked me softly, it was barely audible. _

_I bit my lip and moved my face impossibly close to her own so our noses were touching. After I nodded, I bent my head down the rest of the way and let my lips brush against hers for the very first time. I'll never forget it. It's insane to think that with one, small kiss you can know. Most people say that'd be impossible. At that moment, though, I'd say they were wrong. _

_She felt soft, and her lips tasted delicious. And I almost did explode. I felt Spencer move her hands to the back of my neck, bringing me closer to her, making it so my body rested on hers. My lips moved from hers, to her cheek, to her jaw line, and back to her lips._

"_Wow," Spencer finally breathed out. My eyes were closed, and my forehead was leaning against hers. I smiled. _

"So what do you think Dr. Samsoniablahblahblah would have to say?" I ask Spencer.

I feel her shrug and then clear her throat. "Ashley," she says in this cute, fake manly voice. "How are you feeling towards Spencer. Good? Bad? Sexually impulsed?""

I laugh. "Definitely sexually impulsed."

Spencer hits my arm lightly. Thankfully it's not the one that I had banged up against the wall. "You never say that."

"I don't like talking about sex with him. Just, weird."

"Yeah, I guess." Spencer's bright blue eyes look up into mine, and they make me smile. I could look at them all day long. "You remember the first time we had sex?" She chuckles. "You were so nervous."

"Whatever," I mumble. "I just really liked you."

"Aww." Spencer kisses my cheek and chuckles into it. It makes butterflies run rampant in my stomach.

I kiss the side of her mouth and smile, but Spencer just looks at me and then drops her eyes to my lips. She's more serious than she was moments before, and suddenly so am I. I feel the need to kiss her, so I move my head close to hers, so our noses touch. And then our lips touch, and it's fiery hot. My whole body lights on fire with that one kiss and I don't want it to end. Spencer moans into my mouth when I bite her lip.

Her hand moves to my shoulders, gripping the material of my thin t-shirt and tugging it towards her. Still kissing, I start to unbutton her blouse. Pop one button after another open until all that's there is Spencer in her black bra. And then I'm pushed against the wall with Spencer straddling my lap. She takes my t-shirt off in one swift motion.

I am breathing heavily into her mouth when I speak. "You taste so fucking good Spence."

She doesn't say anything, just kisses my neck while I unzip her skirt. I feel her bite my skin and it just makes everything sexier, more intense. I need to have her closer, so I pull her roughly against me. I just, I need more of her right now. And I get more of her, because Spencer lets me in. She lets my fingers in, my tongue. And she's panting so heavily that I'm afraid she might faint because of how hot it is inside this box. For many reasons.

But she tells me not to stop, and I don't until I'm sure she's finished.

Spencer collapses on top of me, her arms around my neck holding her steady. I place small kisses on her temple and on her cheek. Her chest is rising and falling against mine.

"I love you," I whisper into her ear. She looks at me, and kisses me so gently that I think I might cry. "I love you," I repeat, more for myself than for her.

_I was holding Spencer's hand in mine. I wanted to bring her somewhere special, somewhere slightly romantic. It was a little chilly out so I had given her my sweatshirt. And she looked adorable as ever in it. _

_We hadn't spoken in the short time it took us to walk down the beach. But her body stayed close to my own, keeping me warmer than it would ever be, even with that sweatshirt. _

_I knew I loved her the second I kissed her in my room those few months ago. But that's not really the type of thing you say to someone right off the bat. Since that day, we had been inseparable. I was convinced that I would never get enough of her, never get sick of her. _

_Spencer settled herself on the rock I had chosen for us to sit on. I wrapped my arm around her and let her head fall into my shoulder. _

"_I like this," she said quietly. _

"_I like you," I responded, and kissed the top of her hair, which smelled delicious. Like strawberries, I think. _

"_Yeah?"_

_I nodded now that her eyes were on mine. They seemed to sparkle even more at night, under the glowing moon. _

_Taking a deep breath, I pushed a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "I love you," I told her honestly. For some reason, I was calm, I was smiling. _

_And then I felt Spencer touch the side of my face with her warm hand. She kissed me. "I love you too Ashley." _

_I knew I had her heart, and she knew she had mine. _

"69 pairs of Spencer's panties on the wall, 69 pairs of panties. Take one down, pass it around, 68 pairs of Spencer's panties on the wall."

I feel Spencer slap my face lightly and I laugh. "Enough of that song baby," she says sleepily.

Spencer is resting against me, between my legs and my arms are wrapped around her. "I hope we don't die here."

I feel an elbow nudge into my rib cage. "Ash!" But she laughs.

"Kidding, kidding."

I have no idea how long it has been. Just as I'm thinking that I am _so_ hungry, for actual food now, not Spencer, the elevator makes that horrible noise again and all the buttons light up. After it stops shaking, I feel the elevator move upwards and make that little _ding_ sound.

By now, both Spencer and I are standing up, fully dressed, holding hands. The doors open on some random floor and both of us move out of that fucking box as fast as we can. When it is safely a good enough distance away from us, we look at each other.

I smile at Spencer. She looks adorable, her hair is all messed up, and her shirt is not buttoned correctly. She takes a step closer to me, and I put my hands on her hips pulling her even closer.

"Soooo, Dr. Samsonialblarghablargh?" I ask quietly, rubbing her sides with my fingers.

All Spencer does is kiss me. "I don't think we need him anymore."

And I couldn't agree more.

"Let's go home," Spencer says after nudging my cheek with her nose.

I nod at her with a stupid, wide grin on my face. "Okay. But we're definitely taking the stairs."

* * *

_**El Fin.**_


	22. Brightest

**Brightest**

It was cool outside. Cooler than most summer nights. That cool where sitting on a swing on your front porch requires some kind of sweatshirt of sweater.

I rocked back and forth, my feet hitting the pale, faded panels of wood on the ground, scratching as they kicked up more and more speed. A moment passed where it would have been prefect for me to sigh. But I didn't. I didn't have it in me. Instead, I tucked a piece of my blonde hair behind my ear.

I wasn't sure if she was going to come or not. Although after fighting, we couldn't stand not talking to each other for longer than a half an hour. Fifteen minutes. Ten minutes. I don't know how long it had been. Maybe forever. Maybe five seconds.

And it was getting dark. The pinks and oranges in the sky fading into the darkest of blues. I could see small fireflys swooshing around the front yard, lighting their bulbs every ten seconds or so. I felt the need to go capture some in a jar, like I used to do when I was little. But they deserved their freedom, just like everything else.

Her steps didn't startle me, no. Actually, I had been expecting them even though I was worried I wouldn't hear them for a while. Her feet made their way across the porch, the boots she always wore, no matter how hot or how cold, sliding against the panels. No words were spoken. Then she sat down next to me on the swing, ignoring any distance that there might need to be after a fight. Her mind didn't work like that, it didn't listen to the norm.

It's what I adored.

We swung together, falling into place with each other's leg strokes. Every now and then I heard the rope that was holding the swing up creak. It was the only noise that could be heard.

And when she blinked at me through those bangs of hers, I blinked back. I felt her warm hand slip easily into my own. Fingers intertwined, our hands rested on my thigh. They didn't go anywhere else, they didn't do anything else.

It was suddenly warmer.

* * *

_Brightest - Copeland_

**_El Fin._**


	23. Misguided Ghosts

**Misguided Ghosts**

There is nothing more twisted than seeing pure perfection walk right up to you, smile, and then kiss another person. Self-imposed torture, heartache in a different light, danger cut right across your eyes flown to your brain and straight down to the center of your heart.

She kisses her and I feel my heart crumble and be blown away by the wind, again. It doesn't even have to crack, it just…falls apart.

"Ashley." She says my name. I force my eyes to look at her blue ones, to make my lips tilt up as far as they can go in this one moment and smile at her. "You're so quiet tonight."

I can hear her just fine over the pulsating music, speaking people, sloshing drinks, and squeaky chairs and tables. Her voice floats, and I hate it. "Just a little tired." I give her that smile that tells her it's alright, nothing to worry about. Nothing to ever worry about.

Later I stand outside of the place we're in. The club, the bar, the restaurant, the clothing store, the bathroom, the kitchen. It doesn't matter where. It's always the same.

But the night air is cooling me down, my body is overheated. Long forgotten tears and fits of anger and breathless bouts of love confessions. I lean my head against the cool bricks of the building, squeeze my fingers together so tight they might crack and let them slowly loosen. I see her standing by my side although I do not remember opening my eyes.

And she's looking at me differently, her eyes blink slowly.

"What's up?" I ask her the questions this time. _Where's your girl_, is on the tip of my tongue, but I can't force it out of my mouth. I feel ashamed. Be bold for once. But I can't.

Her eyes stay focused on me, she opens her mouth a little bit, then she closes it. I hear air come out of her nose. "Have you always been this sad?"

I am taken aback, I feel the pitter-pattering in my heart start to speed up. I feel hot. Simmering. "What…do you mean?"

And then she blinks and something happens, something breaks. Like, she realizes this moment has gotten way too heavy for the outside of a bar, club, library, kitchen, room, bathroom. Wherever. She wrings her hands together. I expect her to drop the subject, to smile at me, maybe chuckle a little bit. Oh, that laugh that I so desperately love to pieces, want to bottle in a jar and open the lid just a tiny bit whenever I'm feeling sad or upset or, anxious. "Are you sad?"

So simple. _Are you sad?_

"Yes," I tell her, the truth. It's the fucking truth.

She pauses before asking another question. The obvious question. "Why?"

My brown eyes, I only know they're brown because I've seen them in a mirror before, look her over. Her forehead is crinkled and I'm thinking, _give up the act, Spence, you can't be that oblivious. You and I both know we are, have been, will always be, playing this game. _Chicken.

"Because, I, you. It's always. I just want." I can't finish any of those sentences. "Because…you're killing me."

And her hand immediately goes to her heart, like she's about to stand in the classroom and mumble the pledge of allegiance at eight o'clock in the morning. Her head turns to the side and her eyes close for a brief moment. In this stance, she takes a step closer to me, to me against the brick wall. How she knows the perfect distance is beyond my understanding. That is one thing I will never know. Can only speculate.

She is so close to me now I can see her eyelashes while her blue eyes are sill blocked by her eyelids. I can feel the traces of her breath on my face and then she opens her eyes, watches me. Looks at my face, my eyebrows, my nose, my mouth, my eyes, my mouth, my lips. She's going to kiss me.

Her nose comes into contact with my cheek and I feel my body shudder. Sure, I've been this close to her before, but this is obviously and monumentally different. Then her lips meet mine and my whole entire being is paralyzed.

I had imagined this moment many times before, my hands coming out to hold her hips, my head turning to get better, deeper access. Pulling her towards me. The whole fucking shebang and all I can do now is keep still as I try desperately to breathe without letting her lips slip away from mine.

"I never meant to," she whispers.

Her eyes meet mine, and then she's gone, walking back inside. And my mind is screaming, _don't leave, please, please, don't leave me._

But, like usual, I don't say it.

* * *

_Misguided Ghosts - Paramore_

**_El Fin._**


	24. If I Fall

**If I Fall**

I looked out over the hard stone of the ledge to see city lights. Miles and miles of bright, shiny lights. Some were that yellowish color, some were more interesting, blues and greens and reds and maybe a purple here and there. I could only wonder what they were for.

There was a place, high up above civilization, that looked out over everything. You could stand for hours and hours and likely no one would come. Sometimes there would be a jogger, some ambitious soul running in the middle of the night. Because it just wasn't worth it to come during the daylight.

One might be scared, alone, this high up, at night. But I found it peaceful. A temporary exhalation of breath into what is otherwise a hectic and confusing life. And I'm not just talking personally.

The ledge was still warm from the day's sun, even though it was so chilly outside I had brought out a sweater. A light sweater to block my skin from the smallest of breezes. My face had no cover, but the breeze on my face was somewhat refreshing.

I had just blinked my eyes in succession, three, five times, so all the lights down below smeared together. That's when I saw her. I saw the figure of her body first, mushy because my eyes were still adjusting. Eventually, after a short moment, she became more clear. I knew it was a she because of the way the breeze was allowing her hair to flow around her head. She put both hands on the ledge and leaned forward, into the air. I watched her.

There is really no proper etiquette in places, desolate places, like this one. You were not required to make conversation with someone who came to share the space; most people wanted to be left alone. But then on the other hand, being the only people in such a magnificent place forced a bond between people. And most times people who are bonded by a more superior force, speak.

She turned her head to look at me, and gave me one of those distinguishing head nods. I nodded back, with a slight upwards curve to my lips. Her long hair stopped being abused by the wind and finally rested down below her shoulders. I tightened my sweater around myself. She turned her body towards mine. There was still space between us, but it was becoming smaller.

"Hi," she said.

* * *

_If I Fall - Aqualung_

_**El Fin.**_


	25. Walk Like A Gentleman

**Walk Like A Gentleman**

The lights are a dim shade of raspberry, I can almost taste how beautiful they are. The lanterns are glowing, small boxes on strings emitting radiating lights are strung from tent to tent. I want to reach out and touch them, to feel if they feel as pretty as they look. They probably just feel hot to the touch.

My mind is brought back to Earth by the arms that encircle my neck, the smile that is right in front of me, the sparkling eyes that are watching mine curiously. She probably wants to ask me just what has taken my mind for that short moment. She's amazing at figuring me out, but sometimes I'm still a mystery to her.

I flash her a warm-hearted smile and blink. Her beauty blinds me. I feel her hand play with a strand of my dark hair, feel her fingers touch softly to my neck, and shivers run down my spine, through my body, out of my pours, and into the air. Disappearing and heightening all at the same time.

Weddings make you think, they make your heart heavy. Problems aren't real anymore at weddings. There should only be happiness. This wedding makes me think about my own wedding, that I want my wedding. With her.

I lean my head in closer to her, our bodies closer. Her dress brushes against me and I smile. I kiss her nose simply and softly, close my eyes for a second and continue to dance with her.

I bet we look so good dancing together.

* * *

_Walk Like A Gentleman - Eye Alaska_

**_El Fin._**


End file.
